Former police officers and former soldiers entered the homes of their victims to murder them.

On Monday night, San Miguel City’s Second Court Against Organized Crime sentenced 16 former Salvadoran police officers and former military personnel to prison for the extrajudicial killing of six alleged gang members between 2019 and 2020.

RELATED:

Families Protest Mass Trials in El Salvador

“The Attorney General’s Office secured convictions against 16 members of the ‘Peace or Dearth’ hit Squad, who were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 20 to 60 years,” authorities said, noting that eight defendants were present and the rest were convicted in absentia.

According to authorities, the gunmen would arrive at the victims’ homes wearing dark clothing similar to that of the National Civil Police and would stage a search operation in order to kill them.

The criminal court sentenced Alejandro Monterrosa, Salvador Villalobos and Juan Zapata to 60 years in prison for committing three aggravated homicides. Andres Murillo, Agustin Rivas, Yobani Crespo, Victor Romero and Gerardo Polillo were sentenced to 40 years in prison for two aggravated homicides.

The Attorney General’s Office said the remaining defendants received 20-year prison terms and stated that “this criminal structure was made up of former police officers, former soldiers and civilians, and they killed gang members or individuals with whom they had problems.”

In February 2025, an Organized Crime Court also sentenced other members of a hit squad composed of former police officers, former soldiers and private security guards to prison terms totaling more than 1,000 years for 32 homicides.

teleSUR/ JF

Source: EFE

IN THIS ARTICLE