PDI: Suspect in slaying of economist linked to murder of homosexuals in Providencia

SANTIAGO.- The Director of Police Investigations (PDI), Arturo Herrera, stated today that the woman implicated in the murder of young economist Diego Schmidt-Hebbel, has been linked to the slaying of a gay couple that also occurred in Providencia in April of this year.

According to information revealed early this morning, the aunt of the victim's girlfriend, 52 year-old María del Pilar Pérez may have hired José Ruz Rodríguez to kill her niece’s father after a family dispute.

It was also revealed that the woman had been married to 58 year-old architect Francisco Zamorano Marful, who was found dead on April 23rd of this year along with his partner, 39 year-old medical technician Héctor Arévalo Oliveros, both of whom were shot in the head.

When asked whether the woman may also have been involved in the murder of the two homosexual men, the Director of Police Investigations stated that "logically there is some relation", but requested "let's let the investigation better determine that".

Herrera stressed that "there has not been any drastic change in this case", it was just the continuation of the investigation that began with the arrest of the murderer and insisted that the information was part of the "initial case evidence".