Venezuelan authorities are investigating the death of Edgar Edgardo Lobo Maldonado, a 60-year-old lawyer found murdered in a wooded area near San Rafael, in the Libertador municipality of Mérida state, on Thursday, February 12th. The lawyer had been reported missing since Wednesday, February 10th, after leaving his home in the Belén sector of Mérida in his white, long-chassis Toyota Land Cruiser.
Initial reports indicate Lobo Maldonado died as a result of strangulation, according to preliminary findings. His family filed a missing person report with the Comando Nacional Antiextorsión y Secuestro (Conas), prompting an investigation that quickly focused on three adolescents – aged 15, 17, and 17 – as potential witnesses.
Investigators allege the three teenagers have confessed to the killing, claiming it occurred during an attempted robbery of the lawyer’s vehicle. The Toyota Land Cruiser was subsequently located in the 5 Águilas Blancas sector of Mérida.
The case has drawn attention within legal circles in Venezuela. Lobo Maldonado’s death follows a pattern of violence against professionals in the country, though authorities have not yet established a connection to broader trends.
Forensic experts from the Servicio Nacional de Medicina y Ciencias Forenses (Senamecf) are conducting a full examination of the evidence collected at the scene. The Cuerpo de Investigaciones Científicas, Penales y Criminalísticas (Cicpc) is leading the criminal investigation, with Conas providing support.
As of February 15th, authorities have not released further details regarding potential motives beyond the alleged robbery, nor have they indicated whether the three detained adolescents have legal representation. The investigation remains ongoing.
