26 Court of Peace of San Salvador initiated the criminal proceedings.48 84. On January 24, 1998, Carmen Alicia Estrada recognized Mr. Diaz Ortiz in a lineup.49 Mr. Diaz Ortiz was interrogated on January 25, 1998.50 85. On September 29 and October 30, 1998, Gloria Giralt de García Prieto and José Mauricio García Prieto Hirlemann, respectively, testified before the Third Criminal Court in relation to the investigation of the material perpetrators as well as the likely participation of intellectual authors in the death of their son.51 86. On February 10, 1999, Carlos Romero Alfaro, known as “Zaldaña”, was officially placed under investigation as a suspected material author.52 87. On April 27, 1999, the Third Criminal Court of San Salvador ordered a judicial inspection of the books containing the arrivals and departures records for the personnel of the San Benito Battalion of the National Police (infra para. 111). 88. On August 15, 2000, a full trial was ordered with respect to the accused Julio Ismael Díaz Ortiz. In the same order, the charges against Carlos Romero Alfaro were provisionally dismissed because “no evidence was established against him” and no other probative means existed. Likewise, the Judge of the Third Criminal Court indicated that “it was not proven that General [Mauricio Ernesto] Vargas Valdés and Engineer [Robert Hernán] Puente Rivas undertook negotiations for the purchase of real estate belonging to the García Prieto family.”53 89. This decision was appealed by the prosecutor’s office and Julio Ismael Ortiz Díaz on August 26, 2000 and August 28, 2000, respectively, before the Third Criminal Chamber of the First Central Section of San Salvador (“Cámara Tercera de lo Penal de la Primera Sección del “Centro”, San Salvador”). On October 23, 2000, the Third Criminal Chamber affirmed the decision.54 48 Cf. Prosecutorial summons of January 23, 1998, judicial file number 110/98 (exhibits to the application , exhibit 2, volume 3, pages 1334 and 1335; and write of January 23, 1998, judicial file number 110/98 (exhibits to the application, exhibit 2, volume 3, pages 1338, 1343 and 1344). 49 Cf. Police line-up record of January 24, 1998, judicial file number 110/98 (exhibits to the application, exhibit 2, volume 3, page 1377). 50 Cf. Interrogation record of Julio Ismael Ortiz Díaz of January 25, 1998, judicial file number 110/98 (exhibits to the application, exhibit 2, volume 3, pages 1393 to 1397). 51 Cf. Testimonies of the parents of Mr. García Prieto of October 29 and 30, 1998, judicial file number 110/98 (exhibits to the application, exhibit 2, volume IV, pages1542 to 1550 and 1562 to 1573. 52 Cf. Interrogation record of Carlos Romero Alfaro of February 10, 1999, judicial file number 110/98 (exhibits to the application, exhibit 2, volume 3, page 1817 to 1831). 53 Cf. Order by the Third Trial Court of San Salvador of August 15, 2000, judicial file number 110/98 (exhibits to the application, exhibit 2, volume 7, page 2413 to 2419). 54 Cf. Appellate brief of the Office of the Attorney General of the Republic of El Salvador of August 26, 2000 before the Third Trial Court, judicial File number 110/98 (exhibits to the application, exhibit 2, volume 7, pages 2430 to 2435); appellate brief of Julio Ismael Ortiz Díaz of August 28, 2000 before the Third Trial Court, judicial File number 110/98 (exhibits to the application, exhibit 2, volume 7, pages 2426 to 2429); and judgment of the Criminal Chamber of the First Central Division of San Salvador (“Cámara de lo Penal de la Primera Sala del Centro de San Salvador”) of October 23, 2000, judicial file number 110/98 (exhibits to the application, exhibit 2, volume 7, pages 2447 to 2455).