An American citizen, Gilbert Reyes Bermúdez, has been arrested in the Dominican Republic over the alleged murder of three women in the Honduran island of Roatán, as per Honduran police. The victims were María Antonia Cruz, Nikendra McCoy, and Dione Solórzano. The incident occurred on January 6 during an outing with the suspect, who was reportedly a former partner of Solórzano.
The women were reported missing the day after the incident, and their bodies were discovered three days later in a car, showing signs of gunshot wounds, according to the Costa Rica newspaper Tico Times.
Not much is known about Bermúdez, but authorities confiscated $205 and 600 pesos in cash from him, along with his American passport, two cell phones, and other personal items, reported the Dominican newspaper Dominican Today. These items are now held by OCN-Interpol Santo Domingo.
The National Police of Honduras have initiated the extradition process to return Bermúdez to Honduras, where he will face charges based on crime scene evidence and witness testimonies. Bermúdez was apprehended at Las Americas Dr. Jose Francisco Pena Gomez International Airport while attempting to flee to Miami. He was reportedly wanted under a Red Notice for International Search and Seizure, No. A-529/1-2024, for "aggravated femicide and murder."
Honduras has one of the highest femicide rates in Latin America, with 6.2 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, according to UN Sustainable Development Group. Cases of violence against women surged during the pandemic, with emergency calls reaching 282 per day.
The extradition process is already underway to bring Bermúdez back to the United States, stated the National Police of Honduras, emphasizing the use of crime scene evidence and witness testimonies in the case.
Rebeca Raquel Obando, president of the Supreme Court of Justice, assured the public that the crime will not go unpunished. This statement is significant given that 95 percent of femicides in the country remain unresolved.
