In the High Risk Court B, Judge Eduardo Orozco handed down this Tuesday, April 21, a sentence against an aspiring firefighter involved in the crime of Nelson Santamaría and Eldin Leonel Choc, occurred in San Andrés Itzapa, Chimaltenangoin April 2024.
This is Jorge Alexander Callejas, who submitted to the figure of accepting charges for the crime of self-concealment.
Callejas was sentenced to three years of commutable prison; However, for having accepted charges, the sentence was reduced by half. That is, the sentence was one and a half years, at a rate of Q5 per day. In addition, the judge imposed a fine of Q500.
The Public Ministry and the Attorney General’s Office requested that Callejas offer a public apology to the relatives of one of the victims and the people of San Andrés Itzapa.
During the hearing, the firefighter declared that he transferred one of the deceased from the National Civil Police (PNC) station in San Andrés Itzapa to the Chimaltenango Hospital.
According to his testimony, the transfer is not part of the usual procedure. He stated that the action was carried out “so as not to compromise the police officers” and that the request came from the head of the substation, whose name he said he did not remember.
Other convictions
Firefighter Josué Francisco Buch Cúmez was sentenced on September 9, 2025 to three years in prison for concealing himself.
According to the accusation, the convicted man lied in his statement by stating that he found Nelson Santamaría on a public street and not inside the police substation.
You could also read: Four PNC agents accused of extrajudicial execution in San Andrés Itzapa are sent to trial
The crime against Leonel and Milton
On April 18, 2024, Milton Nelson Santamaría, a Canadian national, and Eldin Leonel Choc Xi, a Guatemalan, were captured and taken to the San Andrés Itzapa police headquarters.
In this case, four police officers were prosecuted for the crimes of extrajudicial execution and forced disappearance, and sent to preventive detention. The sub-inspector Edy Leonel Vásquez Rabanaleshead of the substation, was placed under house arrest and is awaiting sentencing.
According to the investigation by the Public Ministry (MP), the agents responded to a call for drunk people who were causing a scandal on public roads, who turned out to be Choc Xi and Santamaría.
During the hearing, agent Yulisa Ayala declared that sub-inspector Vásquez Rabanales attacked both detainees inside the substation. “He was hitting both of them,” he said.
He also reported that the head of the substation kicked the Canadian citizen, which caused him to start bleeding.
According to his testimony, the sub-inspector washed the area where there was blood and moved the detainee to another place. Later, when Santamaría’s condition worsened, support was requested from the firefighters.
According to the official forensic report, Santamaría died from exsanguinating hemorrhage due to rupture of the abdominal aorta, secondary to thoracoabdominal trauma.
Agent Fredy Velásquez stated that, after the Canadian was transferred to the hospital, the sub-inspector ordered him to accompany him along with Choc Xi in a vehicle, under threats.
According to his version, they drove through the urban area and then headed towards an area near the village of Chimachoy, where he received the order to get out of the vehicle.
Velásquez stated that, minutes later, the sub-inspector returned alone and told him that the “job” was done. Later, both returned to the substation.
The two agents agreed that, after the events, Vásquez Rabanales fled.