The body of Count Karl von Spreti, ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany, was found yesterday—April 5—near an adobe house, at kilometer 17, on the way to San Pedro Ayampuc, at around 7 p.m.
Neighbors found him near a narrow path, full of dust, that leads to the adobe house, where the ambassador is supposedly held hostage since March 31.
Some members of the German embassy arrived, who had been anxious and distressed since the afternoon. without having news of the kidnappersbecause the deadline they had been given—for the government to release several imprisoned guerrillas—had expired.
Special correspondent
Mr. Wilhelm Hoppe, special envoy of the Bonn government to cooperate in obtaining the freedom of Ambassador Von Spreti, arrived at the scene to identify the body, which was transferred at 11 p.m. to the amphitheater of the General Hospital for the legal autopsy. He was later taken to Reforma funeral in zone 9.
Diplomats
The apostolic nuncio, Monsignor Gerolamo Prigione, dean of the diplomatic corps, who had been acting as an intermediary to obtain the release of the German diplomat, told the press: “We have to give very sad news: the ambassador has been murdered.”
The wife arrives
Countess Helen Sabina von Spreti arrived at 7 p.m., being received by the Diplomatic Corps, by her son Alesandro—11 years old—and by several friends, as well as by the local and foreign press. “What happened? What happened to my husband?” the countess asked anxiously. All those present expressed their sadness and sent him words of affection.
The kidnapping
On Tuesday, March 31, the ambassador was heading to his residence, located in Berlin Square, at the end of Avenida de las Américas, zone 13, after an event at the National Geographic Institute, when his car was intercepted at 16th Street, in front of the monument to Christopher Columbus, by two small vehicles.
According to the story of the driver, Edmundo Hernández—who has been working for the embassy for 10 years—several young individuals got out carrying machine guns and squads, who identified themselves as guerrillas and ordered the ambassador to surrender. The ambassador got out and was taken to one of the vehicles. At no time did he express fear. The pilot was face down, under penalty of being shot. They advanced towards the north of the capital.
*Texts from editions 5414 and 5418
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