Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On April 3, 2024, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment charging José Martínez-Serrano and Edwin Yadiel Flores-Tavárez with kidnapping resulting in death and possessing and discharging of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.
According to court documents, on July 25, 2023, the defendants, aiding and abetting each other and others, did unlawfully and willfully seize, confine, kidnap and abduct, and otherwise hold, T.D.C. and N.R.L., and shot them – resulting in their deaths. In committing and in furtherance of the commission of the kidnapping, Martínez-Serrano and Flores-Tavárez used a means, facility, and instrumentality of interstate or foreign commerce, namely a 2022 Ford EcoSport and a cellular telephone.
“As alleged in the indictment, these defendants acted together in the kidnapping and vicious murder of two young women,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “We remain steadfast in our mission to bring violent criminals to justice. We will use all methods at our disposal to apprehend and prosecute those who commit such heinous acts.”
“Last summer, violent criminals took the lives of two young girls in the Piñones area. From that moment, our commitment has been to bring the criminals responsible to justice,” said Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Juan Field Office. “Today, we have come a step closer to justice, but our work is still unfinished, and our teams will not stop until we can bring this case to a full conclusion. I want to thank our colleagues at the Police of Puerto Rico and Carolina Municipal Police for their nonstop efforts in this case. Today’s arrests would not have been possible without their continued support of the mission.”
The defendants are scheduled for their initial court appearances today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marcos E. López of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. If convicted, they face life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI, Puerto Rico Police Bureau, and the Carolina Municipal Police are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Julian Radzinschi is prosecuting the case. Special Agents John Auchter and Sharon Vazquez of the Federal Bureau of Investigation are in charge of the investigation.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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