27 D.1. Background regarding Héctor Álvarez Sánchez 94. Héctor Álvarez Sánchez, father-in-law of Manuel Guillermo Omeara Miraval, was born on March 22, 193067 in Ocaña, Northern Santander, he was a rancher and merchant from Aguachica and known in the municipality for his business dealings and owned several farms. At the time of the facts, Mr. Álvarez Sánchez was married to Elva María Solano and was the father of seven children, Judith, Miguel Ángel, Héctor Manuel, Clemencia Patricia, Fabiola, Ana Edith and Juan Carlos, all with the surnames Álvarez Solano68. He was the grandfather of Manuel Guillermo, Elba Katherine and Claudia Marcela, all with the surnames Omeara Álvarez. 95. His wife, Elva María Solano de Álvarez, indicated as a background to the death of Héctor Álvarez that at the farm where they lived “the […] paramilitaries arrived” and they had “several confrontations”.69 Regarding this aspect, her daughter, Clemencia Patricia Álvarez Solano, also declared that the paramilitaries extorted the ranchers, but her father did not want to collaborate with any group.70 D.2. Attack and subsequent death of Héctor Álvarez Sánchez 96. On October 21, 1994, when he was entering his house in the presence of his five-yearold granddaughter, Claudia Marcela Omeara Álvarez, Héctor Álvarez Sánchez was shot several times by two men dressed in civilian clothes, from a motorcycle. Mr. Álvarez Sánchez was taken from the scene of the attack to the Aguachica hospital and was later transferred to a clinic located in Bucaramanga71. As a result of the attack, Mr. Álvarez Sánchez was seriously injured, quadriplegic and unable to speak.72 For these reasons, on June 29, 1995, he was transferred to the Military Hospital in Bogotá, where he was discharged in September 1995. Nearly six years after the events, on May 11, 2000, Mr. Héctor Álvarez died in his residence in Bucaramanga.73 97. Elva María Solano de Álvarez indicated that she had been informed that “the attack on her husband had been carried out by [GM] and [JPa], who acted as hit men for the paramilitaries.” She also stated that the reasons for the attack of which her husband was the victim was due to a statement that he gave to some officials of the Barranquilla Prosecutor's Office, who arrived at his residence and who were carrying out the investigation into the kidnapping of his son-in-law Manuel Guillermo Omeara Miraval, because that day, at the end of said procedure, he told the officials “[i]ve signed my death sentence.” She added that her husband informed the officials of the Prosecutor's Office of the color and license plates of the 67 Death certificate of Héctor Álvarez Sánchez of May 12, 2000 (evidence file, annex 7 to the answer, page 10437). Marriage certificate of October 30, 1954 (evidence file, proceedings before the IACHR, file 4, f. 1551); Civil birth registration of Judith Álvarez Solano; Miguel Angel Alvarez Solano; Hector Manuel Alvarez Solano; Clemencia Patricia Alvarez Solano; Fabiola Alvarez Solano; Ana Edith Álvarez Solano, and Juan Carlos Álvarez Solano (evidence file, proceedings before the IACHR, fs. 1552 to 1558). 69 Proceedings to amend the statement of Elva María Solano de Álvarez of April 3, 2013, supra. 70 Proceedings to amend the statement of Clemencia Patricia Álvarez of February 15, 2013 (evidence file, annex 69 to the Merits Report, fs. 444 to 448). 71 UA SACE Report No. 008 of February 10, 2003 of the Human Rights Unit, Office of the Attorney General of the Bucaramanga Nation, file No. 015 of the National Human Rights Unit of the National Office of the Attorney General, log No. 9 (evidence file, annex 58 to the Merits Report, fs. 401 to 403). 72 UA SACE Report No. 008 of February 10, 2003, supra; Testimonial statement of Elva María Solano de Álvarez before the Special Prosecutor of the National Human Rights Unit for Santander and Cesar on July 28, 2003 (evidence file, annex 7 to the answering brief, fs. 10417 to 10421), and Testimonial statement of Miguel Ángel Álvarez Solano before the National Office of the Attorney General on August 6, 2003 (evidence file, annex 7 to the answering brief, fs. 10422 to 10428). 73 UA SACE Report No. 008 of February 10, 2003, supra, and Testimonial statement of Miguel Ángel Álvarez Solano of August 6, 2003, supra, and Death certificate of Héctor Álvarez Sánchez, supra. 68