Investigators from the Specialized Criminal Investigation Division (DEIC) and prosecutors from the Public Ministry (MP) carried out 14 raids on Tuesday, June 17, in Guatemala, Escuintla and Zacapa for the armed attack that occurred on May 26, 2025 in front of the Los Diamantes residential complexes, in Santa Catarina Pinula.
The proceedings were to follow up the case in which the wife of deputy Vitellio Lam. During the operations, Kevin “N”, 30, was captured and became the third person detained in the investigation.
“A criminal structure linked to the attack perpetrated on May 26, 2025 at km 16.5 of the route to Santa Catarina Pinula was hit,” said the National Civil Police (PNC).
The suspect was located in the Las Lilas Flor del Campo residential complex, km 32 of the Pacific route, Amatitlán, and had an arrest warrant for the crimes of attempted homicide and ideological falsehood, issued by a court in Guatemala, according to the PNC.
During the raids, 13 firearms were seized, three carbines and 10 pistols, 716 ammunition of different calibers, 36 hoppers for firearms, three cell phones, Q50,925 and four vehicles.
The others captured by the attack
In this case, on January 20 of this year, Brenda “N”, 45 years old, was arrested at km 82.8 of National Route 14, at the entrance to San Juan Alotenango, Sacatepéquez. The woman was transporting Q345,700 of illicit origin.
Additionally, on April 2, Mario “N”, 38 years old, was arrested in the village of Barrita Vieja, Puerto de San José, Escuintla, during an operation by the PNC.
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It was not a direct attack against the deputy’s wife
On the day of the incident, deputy Vitelio Lam reported that his wife was unharmed from the armed attack that occurred on a stretch of the highway to El Salvador.
On June 4, 2025, the authorities reported that the investigation determined that the armed attack that occurred in front of the aforementioned residence, at km 16.3 of the highway to El Salvador, originated from a road incident and ruled out that it was a direct attack.
The PNC detailed on that occasion that the residential surveillance cameras captured two agricultural trucks and two pickup trucks when they left around 10 a.m. on May 26.
He added that the drivers of the vehicles started an argument before leaving the residential complex and, upon reaching the security checkpoint, shots were fired. As a result of the attack, three people were seriously injured.
The Public Ministry located at least 35 ballistic evidence at the scene and, according to the investigation, the shell casings found were from 5.56 caliber rifles.
The deputy’s wife, who was traveling in a red agricultural truck, was parked a few meters from the scene and watched the shooting, while his bodyguard and pick-up driver tried to run, but fell to the ground due to his injuries, according to PNC.