Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Republic, like many societies in the region, has been the scene over the decades of
crimes that shook the collective conscience. Multiple homicides, violent gangs, and high-impact assassinations have left deep marks, not only because of the brutality of the events, but also because of fear and indignation.
Although the country does not have a long list of homegrown serial killers as in other nations,
there are cases that, due to the repetition of the crimes, their cruelty and their media impact, were marked as dark chapters in Dominican criminal history.
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One of the most disturbing is that of
Nazario Mercedes, identified by the authorities as a presumed serial killer linked to the death of several women in different parts of the national territory.
His arrest came after being accused of causing the death of his romantic partner in the municipality of
Villa Altagracia, an event that uncovered a chain of shocking revelations.
During the investigation, the Police reported that Mercedes would have confessed her participation in other homicides committed since the 1990s in provinces such as
San Pedro de Macorís, San José de Ocoa and Santo Domingo.
The “Taxi Killers”
Another episode that shook the country was that of the so-called
“Taxi Killers”, a group of minors who turned the honest work of a driver into a death sentence. With deceit and false service requests, these teenagers ended the lives of
seven taxi drivers, workers who left their homes without imagining that they would not return.
The impact of the case was even greater upon learning of the accused’s coldness. Judge Rafael Abreu handed down sentences of five years for three 16 and 17-year-old adolescents, and three years for two other minors between 13 and 15, in accordance with the Minor’s Code. In addition, compensation was ordered to be paid to the victims’ families and to two survivors who were marked for life.
The most disturbing thing, according to family members, was the mocking attitude of some defendants during the hearings, smiling in the face of others’ pain and admitting that the crimes were intended to consume drugs and pay for cabins.
“The Pit’s Executioners”
Violence once again shook the country with the case of
“Los Verdugos de la Fosa”, a criminal network that sowed terror in the Eastern region. In 2018, five of its members were sentenced to 20 and 30 years in prison for the murder of several public transport drivers, whose bodies were found buried in a mass grave in
Juan Dolio, in events that occurred in 2016.
According to the Public Ministry, the criminals gained the trust of their victims with friendly treatment and seemingly legitimate transportation offers. Once they achieved their goal, the drivers disappeared.
The investigation revealed that at least
four workers were murdered, while other survivors are suffering from deep psychological trauma. For months, the gang kept entire families in suspense, who saw their loved ones leave without knowing if they would return alive.
Luis Alberto Cabrera, “Dominican Jack the Ripper”
Among the names that most shake the judicial records is that of
Luis Alberto Cabrera Jiménez, nicknamed by the media as
“Jack the Ripper Dominican”. Cabrera was sentenced to 30 years in prison for the murder of several women and for sexual assaults committed under a repetitive and planned pattern.
The authorities established that the defendant used deception to approach his victims, a method that was repeated with alarming similarity. That reiteration was key to demonstrating his criminal responsibility. Years later, his request for parole was rejected, as the seriousness of the events and the social risk prevented any possibility of reintegration.
The “Cop Killers”
Violence directly affected law enforcement with the emergence of the gang known as
“Los Mata Policías”, identified in 2017. This criminal group was characterized by armed attacks directed against police officers, military personnel, and civilians, causing an unprecedented wave of fear.
Composed of at least a dozen people, the gang committed assaults that ended in bloody confrontations. Several agents lost their lives in the line of duty. The State’s response was forceful: DICRIM operatives managed to dismantle the structure, with fatalities, arrests, and judicial proceedings.
Ángel Martínez Candelario, “Angito”
In the collective memory, the name of
Ángel Martínez Candelario also persists, known as
“Angito”, sentenced to 30 years in prison for the murder of retired general
Juan René Beauchamps Javier, which occurred on December 26, 2000, in Abreu, María Trinidad Sánchez province. The death of the ex-military man, a respected and well-known figure, shook the country and captured national attention.
In addition to this crime,
Martínez Candelario is accused of the homicide of the Canadian citizen of French origin
Robert Hepier, according to press reports. Although the accused claimed to have been used as a scapegoat, the court issued the maximum sentence after finding him guilty of murder, robbery and illegal possession of weapons. The case became one of the most emblematic of the Dominican judicial system.
One of the most disturbing is that of Nazario Mercedes, identified by the authorities as a presumed serial killer linked to the death of several women in different parts of the national territory.
His arrest came after being accused of causing the death of his romantic partner in the municipality of Villa Altagracia, an event that uncovered a chain of shocking revelations.
During the investigation, the Police reported that Mercedes would have confessed her participation in other homicides committed since the 1990s in provinces such as San Pedro de Macorís, San José de Ocoa and Santo Domingo.
