Mon 30 Jan 2012
Using social media to hunt for Guatemalan murder suspect in US
Posted by DavidMitchell under General News
[9] Comments
A Guatemalan wife and mother of two, Cristina Siekavizza, went missing July 7. Authorities believe her husband murdered her, and Guatemalan news media have reported the English-speaking husband, Roberto Barreda de Leon, has probably fled to the United States.
The husband, is believed to have taken the couple’s two children, Roberto Jose, 7, and Maria Mercedes, 4, with him. An international warrant for his arrest has been issued.
I’ve been following the case because my former wife Ana Carolina Monterroso is a friend of Cristina’s relatives. Social media are trying to spread the word internationally about the case. A YouTube site called Voces por Cristina, to which Ana Carolina belongs, now has more than 4,000 followers. A Facebook site called VocesXCristina has 20,000 followers. Here’s Cristina’s uncle Carlos Siekavizza making a plea in Spanish on the YouTube site.
The case was first thought to be a kidnapping, and private investigators were hired by the Barreda de Leon family, but they may have mainly hidden evidence. After weeks passed without a call from any kidnappers, the Attorney General’s Office took over the investigation.
Police found incriminating evidence against Cristina’s husband, and on Aug. 3, he disappeared, along with the children.
Prosecutor Rony Lopez tells journalists that police have found evidence that an attack occurred in the family’s home. Blood has been found while items one would have expected to find are missing, he said.
Authorities have also reported that after Siekavizza disappeared, Barreda threatened the house helper (above) not to talk to police.
The case took a bizarre turn when police jailed Barreda’s mother, Beatriz Ofelia de Leon, a former president of the Guatemalan Supreme Court, for corruption of justice by also threatening the house worker and obstructing justice.
Because Cristina’s case has come to epitomize violence against women in Guatemala, it has received heavy coverage for months in the Guatemalan press and has sparked protests, such as this march.
Before the disappearances, the family had appeared to be happy.
Cristina’s sister, however, has told the press that Barreda was domineering. Cristina had remained close to her relatives and liked to visit them, the sister said, but Roberto objected that it was a waste of gasoline.
Guatemala is a long way from Point Reyes Station, but this blog has readers around the world. And because the murder suspect and his children may well be in the US by now, this posting is a shot in the dark aimed at catching him.
If you do spot him, please report the sighting to local law enforcement or the FBI office in your area. There is also an email address in Guatemala for reporting Barreda’s whereabouts: busquedacristina@gmail.com.
Thanks for the blog, David. I’m Cristina’s brother. I want to make a couple of corrections to your blog.
The email to report Barreda’s whereabouts is: busquedacristina@gmail.com.
Also the Facebook group is VocesXCristina, and it has about 20,0000 followers already.
Thanks again for spreading the word!
I’ve made the changes you suggest, Pablo, and I thank you for them. Apparently the email address on the wanted poster is incorrect. I also called the FBI to double-check where reports should be directed in this country.
In Guatemala, there is still fear about getting involved in cases like these or about participating in any public activity against powerful ex-Government officers or where justice is not being served.
The Cristina Siekavizza case has become really strong and iconic. It has provided an example, hope, and emotional support to women who suffer domestic violence or to families whose relatives have been affected or murdered in similar situations.
Efforts are also being made by Voces por Cristina and other organizations (like Fundación Sobrevivientes) to educate people about domestic violence and how to avoid it, get help, etc. The media has played a key role, too. We expect more legal support for these kinds of victims.
Surprisingly for Guatemala, many people from all walks of life participate and support Cristina’s family. Funds are being raised to continue publishing flyers, banners, etc. and to cover expenses. All work in Voces por Cristina is done by volunteers and Cristina’s family members who are a great example to follow. I cannot imagine how they keep themselves going.
Voces por Cristina is “giving a voice” to this case in demanding justice even when powerful manipulations have clouded and hindered investigations. People are fed up with violence and the lack of enforcement of the law. Thank God, we are seeing some changes (like having an ex-President of the Supreme Court in jail)! But we need more.
One example of how this case has helped: the family of a young 24-year-old woman — murdered by a security guard at the gym she was attending — gathered strength and demanded justice since last year. Yesterday, the alleged murderer (as evident in the gym’s security video), was arrested.
Cristina’s husband was found to have three different passports issued to him and the children without complying with the legal requirement to have both parents present when a minor’s passport is issued. It has not been explained whether they obtained a visa to enter the US under any of the false passports, or whether they entered the US using their correct names when fleeing Guatemala.
He disappeared even after an order for his arrest was issued and a special legal provision was made to stop the children from being taken out of the country. We are not sure where he and the children are. He might even be in Guatemala.
Thank you, Dave, for helping us trying to find these children. This case has touched many hearts all over the world, and we hope that helps to bring back the children to their maternal grandparents.
This is Voces por Cristina Facebook public site: https://www.facebook.com/groups/vocesporcristina/?notif_t=group_activity
This is the organization’s Facebook site where photoshop changes on the children’s pictures were made because they might look different by now: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Voces-Por-Cristina/196602937082279?sk=photos
The phone numbers shown in your article are in Guatemala. INTERPOL includes the children as “missing” and their father as “wanted”.
Dave: This was just published in English. The picture was taken Jan. 26 at the entrance of the courts’ building where we were demonstrating. The ex-President of the Supreme Court requested to get out of prison, but she did not come to her own hearing. This is another example how she, even in prison, can do whatever she wants. Had it been another citizen, that person is taken from prison to the hearing, whether she/he wants to go or not.
http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=106607
Guatemala Heeds the Cries of Femicide Victims – IPS ipsnews.net
ipsnews.net
Dave,
Thank you so much for writing this!! It’s a great piece!!
Love, Anika
Dave,
I appreciate your making this news report spread throughout the United States. I would love it if it were possible that people who read this could re-post this everywhere to spread the word.
On behalf of Cristina’s family and all her supporters, I appreciate your help.
Love,
Your stepdaughter Shaili
I only wish this could be read worldwide so that this “animal” could be found in whichever hole he’s been hiding…and that those two angels could come back to Guatemala and be with their family, who truly love them…I am sure this will happen soon…Great Blog!!! Congrats!!!
I have posted this to a forum I used to be active in a few years ago. If we helped getting a dog adopted through it, half a country away, who says we cannot help have this monster caught!