Colombian Man Charged With Murder In Suitcase Dismemberment Case

Andres Leonardo Gamboa Duran, 43, has now been formally charged with murder in connection with the discovery of Raoul Eduardo Rei’s dismembered body, which was found stuffed in a suitcase and dumped at sea, Times of Malta reported.

Duran had previously admitted to chopping up Rei’s body, claiming he had found him dead in an Msida apartment. However, prosecutors now accuse him of homicide, a charge he denies.

The case gained attention when two children on a paddle boat found the suitcase and pulled it to shore, prompting a police investigation. A photographic survey of two Msida apartments was also presented in court.

An autopsy suggested Rei likely died of suffocation, though this was not conclusive. Initially, police refrained from filing murder charges due to uncertainty about the cause of death, but their stance has since changed.

The next hearing on March 13 is expected to reveal more details, with Inspector Kurt Colombo Zahra set to testify.

Duran was arrested after a two-day manhunt. Magistrate Astrid May Grima ruled there was enough prima facie evidence for him to be indicted and stand trial. The case continues.

#MaltaDaily