By The Star Staff
Justice Secretary Domingo Emanuelli Hernández announced on Wednesday that a jury in Mayagüez found Bernardo Llama Díaz guilty of conspiring with three other individuals to kill his brother, Andrés Llama Díaz, a businessman and the main executive of Flanes-es- Cedó, who was shot in front of his residence in August 2021.
“Justice was done for Andrés Llama Díaz,” the Justice secretary said in a written statement. “The evidence presented by the Mayagüez Prosecutor’s Office of the Department of Justice during the trial supports the jury’s guilty verdict. Prosecutor Esteban Miranda Valentín did a great job to prove beyond a reasonable doubt the commission of a vile crime, designed by the victim’s own brother. They are dangerous criminals who will spend their lives in prison.”
The convicted man faces more than 60 years in prison for the crimes of attempted murder, conspiracy and violations of the Weapons Law, which include the possession and transfer of automatic weapons, among which are the AR15 assault rifle. and the MR920 pistol for which he paid to end his brother’s life.
Along with Llama Díaz, José Manuel Rodríguez Torres also was found guilty and could face more than 100 years in prison.
Sentencing was scheduled for Nov. 3.
“When using a firearm, your penalties for violating the Weapons Law could be doubled,” said Miranda Valentín, the prosecutor. “The trial against Rodríguez Torres was held in absentia, due to him being a fugitive. Once he is arrested, life in prison awaits him.”
Meanwhile, co-conspirator Rodney A. Santiago Ramírez pleaded guilty on Feb. 21 for his participation in the crime.
“Only Gustavo Alexis González González is pending trial, to whom Llama Díaz gave the two firearms and the sum of $5,000 to kill his brother,” Miranda Valentín said. “This was a witness for the [prosecution] in the trial.”
According to the investigation, Llama Díaz agreed to pay González to murder his brother. In turn, González made an arrangement with Rodney A. Santiago Ramírez and José Manuel Rodríguez Torres to carry out the crime.
The four subjects dedicated themselves to stalking the victim. On Aug. 3, the defendants waited for the executive to leave the Flanes Cedó manufacturing plant and followed him, in a blue Kia Soul SUV. The businessman survived the attempt on his life even though he received multiple gunshot wounds.