$3 million bail set for man accused of murdering nurse in Caguas

By THE STAR STAFF

Justice Secretary Lourdes Gómez Torres announced on Wednesday that a 67-year-old man has been charged with first-degree murder for allegedly causing the death of 36-year-old nurse Jennifer Marie Torres Castro -- who died on June 24 in Caguas -- through mechanical asphyxiation and severe bodily trauma.

“From the very beginning, the Caguas Prosecutor’s Office and the Puerto Rico Police took the responsibility of clarifying the circumstances surrounding Jennifer Marie Torres Castro’s death with the utmost seriousness,” Gómez Torres said in a written statement. “An exhaustive investigation was conducted over these months, requiring multiple investigative steps and careful analysis of the evidence to responsibly determine the course of action based on the proof and the law.” 

According to the investigation, Carlos Manuel Estefano Pino was with Torres Castro at her home in the Río Cañas neighborhood when he allegedly caused her death and subsequently left the scene. The Justice Department indicated that the two were friends.

Torres Castro was found dead inside her home, and her body showed visible signs of violence.

In the months that followed, the Caguas Prosecutor’s Office and the police carried out various investigative actions, gathered evidence and requested forensic analyses to determine the circumstances of the death. Upon receiving the results, prosecutors determined they had sufficient evidence to file charges.

Based on the events, prosecutors Liza Morales Jusino and Pedro Mateo Casado filed a charge of first-degree murder against Estefano Pino under Article 93(a) of the Penal Code.

After reviewing the evidence presented, Judge Karina Díaz Pérez of the Caguas Court of First Instance found probable cause for arrest and set bail at $3 million. Estefano Pino did not post bail and was remanded to a correctional facility.

The preliminary hearing has been scheduled for Sept. 22. The investigation was led by Officer Reimundo Quiñones Castro of the Caguas Homicide Division, in coordination with the Caguas Prosecutor’s Office.