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Murder  
Of Seven
Shocks C.R. 

By JULIA MEEKS

Costa Ricans were horrified this week by the
execution-style murder of a woman and six young
girls, whose bodies were discovered Monday near
the town oi Alajuelita in the foothills of the Escazu .
mountain range. 

The victims of what Costa Flicans are calling the
worst crime in the nation?s history were shot at
close range with .35, .45 and .32 caliber weapons.
Autopsies indicated that the woman and two of the
older girls had been raped.

I ll? 1 I'm)

. :1

BY press time Thursday, police investigators had not
detained any suspects in the massacre, but estimate
that at least three and not more than five killers were
involved. The victims were identified as Marta Eugenia
Zamora Martinez, 41; her daughters Maria Gabriela,
16, Maria Auxiliadora, 11, and Carla Virginia, 9; and 

. her nieces Carla Maria, 11, Alejandra, 13, and Maria',; 
Eugenia, 4. 

All seven 'bodies were found in a pasture four
kilometers from the giant cross of Alajuelita, where-=-
they had attended a religious ceremony on top of the 
San Miguel mountain Sunday afternoon.  

Ironically, Sunday?s pilgrimage to the Alajuelita cross 
organized by Bishop Pier Giacomco De Nicole was to
pray for peace in the world. Marta Eugenia Zamora had; 
made the difficult climb with her daughters and nieces 
in order to fulfill a vow she had made to God in 

  
  
  
   

- gratitude for the cure of a chronic asthma condition.

INVESTIGATORS have not yet established a motive
for the massacre, but speculate that it may have been
an act of vengeance. The style in which the seven were

(Page 5)

 

   

  
 
  
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
  
  
 
  
  
 
 
   
 
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
   
  
  

9?

I shots fired at close range in the
wet, led Minor Calvo, director of
ization of Judicial Investigation
mment that the crime ?had the
of having been an execution."

3 er of three of the girls, Fioberto
p30, is a prisoner in La Reforms
Known as "Macho Fiapso? to
of the underworld, he is serving
5 on robbery charges. According
guard, Sandi reacted to news of
er by screaming, ?How is it
that they killed my family?"

. the convict later told a reporter
Iieves the massacre was committ-
anlacs or paramilitary people",
ed the vengeance theory. There
several unconfirmed reports of
activity in the Alajuelita area,
is known as a favorite hangout for

0 Zamora, who was married to
i is the mother of three of the
id reporters that she believes the
ay have been "an act of vengean-
9 that she would give names of
spects to the police.

uis Salas Cerdas, Marta Zamora?s
father of four of the victims,was
distraught over his loss.

explain how something like this
pen to innocent little girls," he
'lt?s impossible. They were little
they didn't know anything about
were just beginning to live."

NDS of weeping Costa Hicans
neral services held for the seven
church on Wednesday. Many
ed were from the victims'
9. Hatilio 2 and Los Angeles.
were buried in the Pavas

i dubbed the "Massa-
?ta was the worst in a series
mes against women in the last
. '3 Hicans were equally shocked
9 murder and rape of 8-year?old
3 (TT. Feb. 7).

v- has begun to change drasti-
??Untry," the leading daily La
rialized this week, echoing the
[many Costa Fticans.

  

 
 

isco Escobar,. Professor of
the University of Costa Rica,
Times this week "a variety of 

.J. 


.in -s

 

"The Tico Times! Friday, April i1, 1986 5

orst Crime in CR. History Horrifies Nation

. WK . 

 

PARADE of hearses carries victims; bereaved husband and father Carlos Luis Salas (below) mourns loss of his wife and

four daughters.

    
 
 
 

.5-

 
   
   
    
   
   
 

 

 

       
  

. - 088.

plain how something like this
to innocent little girls,?_ he
is impossible. They were little
3), didn?t know anything about
were just beginning to live.?

 
    
 
  
  
  
   
   
    
  
   
   
    
  
  
   
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
  
   
 
 
 
  
 
     

95 of weeping Costa Filcans
neral services held for the seven
. church on Wednesday. Many
ed were from the victims'
d3, Hatillo 2 and Los Angeles.

were buried in the Pavas
dubbed the "Massa-
Iita?, was the worst in a series
was against women in the last
{a Ricans were equally shocked
 19 murder and rape of 8-year-old
as (TT. Feb. 7). 
. has begun to change drasti?
country.? the leading daily La
orialized this week, echoing the
{many Costa Fiicans.

PARADE of hearses carrie
four daughters.

cisco Escobar.. Professor of
the University of Costa Rica,
in Times this week ?a variety of
ht explain the recent increase in
re, particularly the growing
attacks against women.

frustration, which has grown
n0lTIiC crisis, has a terrible
i effect. especially on men,"
. Escobar, who believes that this
-. often turned against the most
embers of society: women and

plained that "men working in .
jobs, for example, found that in 
eir salaries were more than
meet their families? needs.
(1 more men are having to send
ut to work, often in menial jobs
waitresses. This has a tremen-
these men?s egos." He added
me frustrations lead to the
use of alcohol, which in turn 
urther disintegration of the out that Guatema'a'

 

.  



result of the economic crisis
Growth of the underworld, as
.re people search for "indivi-
to their economic situations,
sociologist.
"id to the increase of drug
.. Consequently, drug abuse,
illicit activities such as arms
.9 said. "The armed conflict in
has taken its toll, too. as
'Can men see their Central
m?irparts in arms a phallic
Py. The use of arms becomes

obar disagrees with many
Who this week were clamoring
urity forces.
Doilce response is not what

society as a whole.

   
  
    
 
 
 
  
  
  
 
  
  

 

    

 
 
 

Cessna planes
Special Air Service
Air taxi (Charter flights)
Local and International
Single and engine planes.
international Airport-Toqu Balance-Paves.
Apdo. Zone 9-183 Sen Jose

19_e? IA an 4

  

  

     
 
  

we need," declared the sociologist, pointing
which has a
tremendous police and security force and an
extremely high crime rate. "the institutio-
nalized violence" tends to spill over into the

of Justice Dr. Hugo Mu?oz
agrees that the increase in violence is related
to ?economic problems and the disintegrat-

victims; bereaved husband and father Carlos Luis Salas (below)

Tico Times! Julio Lainez

ion of the family, which provokes frustration
and violence." Munoz recommends that
the problem be confronted on several levels,



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HOTEL . ?(i/Zea?

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by increasing educational, health and recre-
ational programs and by strengthening
police forces.

    
    

mourns loss of his wife and

 

 

 

 

 

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