92. On January 11, 2000, Marta Alvarenga stated that the person who bought soft drinks off her moments before her husband’s death was Lucas García Alfaro.129 93. On March 24, 2000, the court concluded the committal stage. 130 On May 10, 2000, the prosecutor Luis Santos asked the court to separate the proceedings involving José Iraheta Pineda, Roberto Iraheta Pineda, Rigoberto Iraheta Hernández, and Marvin Zavala Pacheco from the case file on the grounds that “they had nothing to do with the death of Carlos Escaleras.”131 On May 15, 2000, the court reopened the committal proceedings and admitted the prosecutor’s request.132 94. On September 11, 2000, at the request of Oscar Sosa’s counsel, the court decided to annul the border alert issued for him in February 1998.133 95. On November 13, 2000, Eldyn Escaleras Mejía lodged a criminal accusation against the business owner Miguel Facussé, Congressman Salomón Martínez, and Oscar Sosa, for the murder of his brother Carlos Escaleras Mejía.134 He said that the witness statements gathered during the proceedings identified those three individuals as the suspected masterminds behind his brother’s killing.135 In addition, he reported the existence of “a photocopy of a check issued by [Miguel Facussé’s] agricultural company Lexus de Honduras, dated September 21, 1997, in the amount of 250,000 lempiras, issued to Salomón Martínez and endorsed to Oscar Sosa.”136 He contended that that evidence confirmed the involvement of the three men in his brother’s murder.137 Father Pedro Marchetti later stated that he received the photocopy of that check anonymously at his office138 and that it “was allegedly the money used to pay the men who carried out the murder of Carlos (…) Escaleras.”139 The Commission notes that the photocopy of the check in question is included in the judicial case file.140 96. On November 15, 2000, the First-Instance Court admitted the accusation. 141 In addition, on that same day, Lucas García Alfaro gave a statement to the Committee for the Defense of Human Rights in 129 Annex 54. Statement of Martha Alvarenga, dated January 11, 2000, judicial case file, p. 228, annexed to the initial petition of January 14, 2002. 130 Annex 55. Court document, dated March 24, 2000, judicial case file, p. 270, annexed to the initial petition of January 14, 2002. Annex 56. Filing of Prosecutor Luis Santos, dated May 10, 2000, judicial case file, p. 273, annexed to the initial petition of January 14, 2002. 131 132 Annex 57. Court document, dated May 15, 2000, judicial case file, p. 275, annexed to the initial petition of January 14, 2002. 133 Annex 58. Court document, dated September 11, 2000, judicial case file, p. 276, annexed to the initial petition of January 14, 2002. 134 Annex 59. Criminal accusation of Eldyn Escaleras Mejía, dated November 13, 2000, judicial case file, pp. 282-284, annexed to the initial petition of January 14, 2002. 135 Annex 59. Criminal accusation of Eldyn Escaleras Mejía, dated November 13, 2000, judicial case file, pp. 282-284, annexed to the initial petition of January 14, 2002. 136 Annex 59. Criminal accusation of Eldyn Escaleras Mejía, dated November 13, 2000, judicial case file, pp. 282-284, annexed to the initial petition of January 14, 2002. 137 Annex 59. Criminal accusation of Eldyn Escaleras Mejía, dated November 13, 2000, judicial case file, pp. 299-300, annexed to the initial petition of January 14, 2002. 138 Annex 10. Statement of Pedro Marchetti, dated November 28, 2000, judicial case file, pp. 282-284, annexed to the initial petition of January 14, 2002. 139 Annex 60. Document DGIC-TC-11-2000 of the General Directorate of Criminal Investigation, dated November 14, 2000, judicial case file, pp. 314-316, annexed to the initial petition of January 14, 2002. 140 Annex 61. Check dated September 21, 1997, judicial case file, p. 287, annexed to the initial petition of January 14, 2002. 141 Annex 62. Court document, dated November 15, 2000, judicial case file, p. 285, annexed to the initial petition of January 14, 2002. 18