ASUNCIÓN, PARAGUAY – JANUARY 30, 2026 Armed robbery at a mobile phone store in Ciudad del Este ended with the deaths of two people. Armed robber Fredy Javier Gamarra Figueredo (22) entered the store, while his accomplice, Arnaldo José Gómez Brizuela (19), waited outside on a motorcycle. The store owner, Abner Josías Santacruz Torres (29), who was also armed, attempted to stop the robbery, and a shootout broke out between him and the attacker.
During the exchange of gunfire, Fredy Javier Gamarra Figueredo was fatally shot. Tragically, the store owner’s partner, Fabiola Monserrath Romero Wuyk (32), was also killed after being struck in the neck by a bullet. According to the preliminary investigation, the fatal round most likely came from the firearm of Abner Josías Santacruz Torres, who accidentally shot her while defending himself against the armed attack. The second suspect fled the scene but was arrested by police shortly afterward.
The investigation confirmed that Abner Josías Santacruz Torres acted in self-defense and therefore will not face charges for fatally shooting the attacker. Authorities described the death of Fabiola Monserrath Romero Wuyk as a tragic accident that occurred during the armed robbery.
