During the night of Monday, May 2, the Homicide Brigade of the Investigative Police (PDI), arrested Marcelo Naranjoalias “El Pestaña”, for his alleged participation in the attempted murder of journalist Francisca Sandoval, within the framework of the demonstrations for the commemoration of International Workers’ Day on May 1. The defendant has a police record linked to drug trafficking and the use of firearms.
In this line was the director general of the PDI, Sergio Muñozwho after meeting with the Minister of the Interior, Izkia Sichesin La Moneda, specified that the man was arrested after “establish that he was in the line of fire using a weapon and firing it”.
Likewise, he explained that thanks to “statements and interviews that were obtained at the scene of the event, it was possible to position him in the place and establish that he would be the author of the shots that injured the victim.”
Naranjo, in addition, had been identified through the audiovisual records that went viral on social networks, the same day that the clashes between hooded men and street vendors took place in the Meiggs neighborhood, on the limits of the communes of Santiago and Estación Central. . In one of those videos the subject could be seen firing a gun. After this, a dialogue can be heard in which “El Pestaña” points out: “Conche… I gave him.” For that same action, there are audiovisual records from the side of the protesters, in which the subject can be seen shooting in the same direction as the journalist.
Francisca Sandoval, according to the latest medical report, remains in extreme seriousness and life-threatening. As he was able to gather The Third PMthe same minister Siches would have contacted the father of the journalist to inform him about Naranjo’s arrest.
Already on Monday, two other defendants were charged with the shooting during the clashes between protesters and street vendors, both subjects were placed under house arrest. Regarding that, Muñoz indicated that he “continues with the proceedings while waiting for the skills that are still pending”, in order to “rule out or confirm their participation in the injuries of the other people who were also injured”.
On the same point, Siches asserted that the objective is to stop “to all those who have used firearms”. For this, the minister maintained that the PDI “continues the different skills and investigations to find all those responsible” and highlighted the “quick action” of the officials.
On the other hand, deputy Matías Ramírez (PC) ordered Minister Siches to deliver an urgent letter about Carabineros: “in order to inform and individualize the police personnel who performed functions that day”, and especially regarding who were in the vehicle in which their officials were caught talking with street vendors. In addition to knowing if there are administrative processes in progress and if there were civilian personnel in the place that day.
Marcelo Enrique Naranjo Naranjo is 41 years old, single and lives in Población La Victoria, in the Pedro Aguirre Cerda commune. In his passage through justice, It has always declared as an activity to be “itinerant merchant”, although the same step through the courts has shown other “businesses” to which it would be dedicated.
His first contact with criminality dates back to April 25, 2003, when he was 22 years old. At that time, he was fined for using drugs on public roads, the same year in which he was also prosecuted for a crime related to consumption. In 2004 his criminal career would intensify, being convicted of a robbery in Maipú.
From then on his link with drugs increased. In 2006 he was convicted of illicit drug trafficking, in addition to possession of firearms. On that occasion, the Guarantee Court of Puerto Montt gave him a sentence of lesser imprisonment in its minimum degree, in addition to a fine. The same year he was also sentenced in Santiago as the author of micro-trafficking. That time he had to pay with 541 days in jail.
In 2011 he was again convicted of illegal possession of a firearm, in addition to being apprehended consuming drugs on public roads. For these facts he had to pay a fine in addition to a night detention.
Until now, which is attributed to him a crime of frustrated homicide, The most serious act that had been charged to him was when on August 19, 2013, at around 3:00 p.m., at the door of his home in Población la Victoria, Naranjo was caught selling marijuana. In that place, cocaine was also seized.
In that fact he was arrested in flagrante delicto. During his arrest, Naranjo was also found with a digital scale, a bag in which he was transporting the drug, in addition to $3 million pesos. For that crime he was sentenced to six years in prison, which he served in the former Penitentiary.
For those close to Francisca Sandoval and her family, the shot that today has the journalist struggling between life and death could be the result of a deliberate decision. This is because they say that for quite some time now, the press in La Victoria has been the victim of threats and attacks. In fact, among the data of this case it is detailed that the Señal 3 La Victoria channel is located 500 meters from Naranjo’s house, where he was also detained. This is an edge that the prosecutor is investigating Tania Sironvallealthough at the moment there are no antecedents that account for this link.
That yes, until now, the legal adviser of the family, Victor Pine, blames the Carabineros for acting at least “negligently”, in the face of the events of Sunday. Looking at the videos of what happened, he accuses that the police “never launched a tear gas canister or water into San Alfonso street, but they did keep the participants of the Central Clasista march at a distance. This dissuasion allowed these gangs installed in the commercial sector to go out both to beat the demonstrators and to shoot”.
On the afternoon of Tuesday, May 3, the 7th Guarantee Court of Santiago ordered the preventive detention of Marcelo Naranjo, who was He was charged with the crimes of illegal possession of a firearm, unjustified shooting on public roads and the frustrated homicide of Francisca Sandoval. In addition, as detailed during the hearing, the subject recognized the shots, although, according to him, they would have been with a blank weapon. Until now, the weapon has not been able to recover the armament.
90 days of investigation were given, during which time Naranjo will be held in the Santiago Uno prison.