37. In this regard, Mr. Luna López “told everyone in the [Municipality] that he had problems with [José Ángel] Rosa,”57 who had threatened him with shots fired into the air because of alleged problems regarding accusations of corruption and illegal felling of trees.58 38. Finally, on repeated occasions Mr. Luna López made his family and friends aware of the commission of alleged acts of corruption involving a municipal authority and a lumber merchant.59 B. 3. Murder of Mr. Carlos Luna López 39. On May 18, 1998, Mr. Luna López attended a session of the Catacamas City Council, in Olancho Province.60 At the end of the meeting, at approximately 10:45 pm, Mr. Luna López left the Municipality building in the company of Silvia Gonzales, City Council Secretary, and Fausto Rovelo, City Councilman.61 40. As they were leaving, they were approached by two young men who began to shoot in Mr. Luna López’s direction. He responded by taking out his gun and returning the gunfire. Subsequently the young men fled, running into the street opposite the Municipality.62 56 Cf. Testimony of Alejandro Fredy Salgado rendered on February 17, 2000 (File of attachments to the State’s response, page 5311), and statement of Mr. Oscar Orlando Palacios Moya rendered on February 17, 2000 (File of attachments to the State’s answer brief, page 5314), both before the Civil Court of Catacamas. 57 Statement of Mr. Alejandro Fredy Salgado rendered on February 17, 2000 (File of attachments to the State’s answer brief, page 5311). 58 Cf. Statement of Mr. Oscar Orlando Palacios Moya rendered on February 21, 2000, before the Civil Court of Catacamas (File of attachments to the State’s answer brief, page 5314). 59 Referring to Messrs. Alejandro Fredy Salgado Cardona and Antonio Moradel. Cf. Statements rendered before the Civil Court of Catacamas by: Rosa Margarita Valle Hernández on August 24, 1998 (File of attachments to the State’s response, pages 5080 and 5081); César Augusto Luna Valle on August 27, 1998 (File of attachments to the State’s response, pages 5100 and 5101); Gonzalo Zúñiga on October 19, 1998 (File of attachments to the State’s response, page 6783); José Guillermo Peralta on November 30, 1998 (File of attachments to the State’s response, page 5211), and María Teodora Ruiz Escoto on November 30, 1998 (File of attachments to the State’s response, page 5214). 60 Cf. Sequence of photographs taken on May 19, 1998 (File of attachments to the final written arguments, page 9201). 61 Cf. Statements rendered before the Criminal Investigations Division by: Oscar Orlando Palacios Moya on May 19, 1998 (File of attachments to the final written arguments, pages 9380 and 9384); Obdulio Roberto Cruz Navarro on June 9, 1998 (File of attachments to the final written arguments, pages 9429); Fausto Paulino Rovelo Vargas on June 10, 1998 (File of attachments to the final written arguments, page 9371); Alejandro Fredy Salgado Cardona on June 10, 1998 (File of attachments to the final written arguments, pages 9388). Also, testimony rendered before the Civil Court of Catacamas by Alejandro Fredy Salgado Cardona on August 17, 1998 (File of attachments to the State’s response, page 5061) and testimony of Silvia Gonzales rendered on August 10, 2009 (File of attachments to the State’s response, page 6315). 62 Cf. Statements rendered before the Criminal Investigation Division, namely: testimonies of Álvaro Danilo Zapata Lara rendered on May 19 and June 26, 1998 (File of attachments to the final written arguments, pages 9347 and 9348, 9364 and 9367); testimonies of Oscar Orlando Palacios Moya rendered on May 19, and June 9 and 25, 1998 (File of attachments to the final written arguments, pages 9381, 9386, 9387 and 9357); testimony of Obdulio Roberto Cruz Navarro rendered on June 9, 1998 (File of attachments to the final written arguments, page 9427), and testimony of Fausto Paulino Rovelo Vargas rendered on June 10, 1998 (File of attachments to the final written arguments, page 9373). Similarly, witness statement of Álvaro Danilo Zapata Lara rendered on June 26, 1998 before the Magistrate’s Criminal Court of Catacamas (File of attachments to the State’s response, pages 5011 and 5012), and statements rendered before the Civil Court of Catacamas by: Obdulio Roberto Cruz Navarro on August 24, 1998 (File of attachments to the State’s response, page 5075); Fausto Paulino Rovelo Vargas on February 17, 2000 (File of attachments to the State’s response, page 5307), and Oscar Orlando Palacios Moya on February 17, 2000 (File of attachments to the State’s response, page 5315). 16