QUEVEDO, LOS RÍOS, ECUADOR – MARCH 5, 2026 Victim was 20-year-old July Ortega. According to available information, the victim was traveling in a car with another person when they noticed they were being pursued by a vehicle with armed men. In an effort to save their lives, both jumped out of the car and tried to escape on foot through the alleys of the 20 de Febrero neighborhood.
While the companion managed to escape the killers and disappear, July Ortega was not so lucky. The attackers caught up with her near the ‘La Economía’ store and opened fire. Most of the shots hit her head, leading to instant death at the scene. Arriving police cordoned off the area and secured ballistic evidence. To this point, no one has been arrested in connection with the murder, and the motive for the crime remains under investigation.



