BALZAR, GUAYAS, ECUADOR – DECEMBER 7, 2025 Tragic accident on the road between Balzar and El Empalme in Guayas Province initially appeared to be an ordinary traffic accident. However, a pickup truck carrying five people crashed at high speed into the rear of a truck in the early morning hours, and all of its passengers died.
The investigation subsequently revealed disturbing circumstances. According to the forensic autopsies, three of the five victims had gunshot wounds to the face and neck, while two other men died as a result of the crash itself.
Police therefore began working with the theory that the three men had been kidnapped and transported to a location where they were supposed to be murdered before the crash. According to a preliminary reconstruction, a confrontation with armed perpetrators may have led to the accident, after which the pickup truck crashed into the truck. Police were also investigating possible links to the Duendes criminal group.
