VALENCIA, CÓRDOBA, COLOMBIA – AUGUST 27, 2025 Camilo Díaz, nicknamed “El Policía,” committed a double murder and one attempted murder when he violently broke into the house of his former partner in Urabá. He probably originally intended to settle scores only with her, but she was not home at the time. When he couldn’t find her, he began shooting at her mother, 45-year-old Ana Cristina Martínez Novoa, killing her on the spot. During the shooting, her son, 17-year-old Mateo Garcés Salcedo, tried to shield her with his own body. He was also fatally shot. Díaz’s rampage didn’t end there; he continued shooting at other people in the house and on the property. A 23-year-old relative of the victims was also shot. He survived but was in critical condition, his life hanging by a thread.
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- Ana Cristina Martínez Novoa
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- Camilo “El Policía” Díaz
After the incident, Díaz fled the scene. The victims’ family rallied all the neighbors, who launched an extensive search across the Córdoba area. They went house to house, asking questions and checking every hidden corner in an effort to find him. Statements from the police, assuring them that all necessary steps were being taken to apprehend him, were not enough. They wanted to take revenge themselves.
Their efforts paid off several days later. Díaz was found in the town of Valencia, hiding inside a house. He was dragged to a remote area in the forest, beaten, and executed with nine gunshots to the head. A video of his execution began circulating online.
The police issued a statement saying that they are currently searching for the man who took justice into his own hands and executed Díaz. They emphasized that bypassing the justice system is unacceptable, and no matter the justification, such behavior still constitutes murder with aggravating circumstances.
