soldiers started firing mortars and guns at the canton.114 Accordingly, some residents sought hiding places immediately,115 while others waited until the early morning hours of December 11 to leave in order to hide in the woods or near the Las Marías River;116 many people decided not to leave the place. The men who went to hide in the woods or to the river believed that their wives and small children, who they left behind at home, would not be harmed.117 100. At around 8 a.m. on December 11, 1981, uniformed soldiers entered the canton of La Joya; they proceeded to evict the people from their homes and kill them, and then set fire to the people’s homes, possessions and animals. 118 Some survivors could hear the cries and groans of the people who were being murdered.119 made by Genaro Sánchez before the Second First Instance Court of San Francisco Gotera on April 10, 1991 (evidence file, tome III, annex 23 to the submission of the case, folio 1767); Witness statement made by Sotero Guevara Martínez before the Second First Instance Court of San Francisco Gotera on May 7, 1991 (evidence file, tome III, annex 23 to the submission of the case, folio 1774), and Sworn statement made by César Martínez Hernández before the Oficina de Tutela Legal del Arzobispado on June 22, 2011 (evidence file, tome VIII, annex 3 to the pleadings and motions brief, folio 5547). 114 Cf. Witness statement made by Hilario Sánchez Gómez before the Second First Instance Court of San Francisco Gotera on November 28, 1990 (evidence file, tome III, annex 23 to the submission of the case, folio 1695); Witness statement made by Rosa Ramírez Hernández before the Second First Instance Court of San Francisco Gotera on January 30, 1991 (evidence file, tome III, annex 23 to the submission of the case, folio 1717); Victim statement made by Hilario Sánchez Gómez before the Second First Instance Court of San Francisco Gotera on February 14, 1991 (evidence file, tome III, annex 23 to the submission of the case, folios 1723 and 1724); Victim statement made by Eustaquio Martínez Vigil before the Second First Instance Court of San Francisco Gotera on March 14, 1991 (evidence file, tome III, annex 23 to the submission of the case, folio 1752); Witness statement made by Eustaquio Martínez Vigil before the Second First Instance Court of San Francisco Gotera on March 20, 1991 (evidence file, tome III, annex 23 to the submission of the case, folio 1757); Victim statement made by Genaro Sánchez before the Second First Instance Court of San Francisco Gotera on April 4, 1991 (evidence file, tome III, annex 23 to the submission of the case, folio 1762); Witness statement made by Genaro Sánchez before the Second First Instance Court of San Francisco Gotera on April 10, 1991 (evidence file, tome III, annex 23 to the submission of the case, folio 1767); Witness statement made by Sotero Guevara Martínez before the Second First Instance Court of San Francisco Gotera on May 7, 1991 (evidence file, tome III, annex 23 to the submission of the case, folio 1774), and Sworn statement made by Pedro Chicas Romero before the Oficina de Tutela Legal del Arzobispado on July 25, 2011 (evidence file, tome VIII, annex 3 to the pleadings and motions brief, folio 5530). 115 Cf. Witness statement made by Sotero Guevara Martínez before the Second First Instance Court of San Francisco Gotera on May 7, 1991 (evidence file, tome III, annex 23 to the submission of the case, folio 1774); Sworn statement made by Pedro Chicas Romero before the Oficina de Tutela Legal del Arzobispado on July 25, 2011 (evidence file, tome VIII, annex 3 to the pleadings and motions brief, folio 5530), and Sworn statement made by César Martínez Hernández before the Oficina de Tutela Legal del Arzobispado on June 22, 2011 (evidence file, tome VIII, annex 3 to the pleadings and motions brief, folio 5547). 116 Cf. Victim statement made by Genaro Sánchez before the Second First Instance Court of San Francisco Gotera on April 4, 1991 (evidence file, tome III, annex 23 to the submission of the case, folio 1762); Witness statement made by Genaro Sánchez before the Second First Instance Court of San Francisco Gotera on April 10, 1991 (evidence file, tome III, annex 23 to the submission of the case, folio 1767), and Witness statement made by Sotero Guevara Martínez before the Second First Instance Court of San Francisco Gotera on May 7, 1991 (evidence file, tome III, annex 23 to the submission of the case, folio 1775). 117 Cf. Victim statement made by Eustaquio Martínez Vigil before the Second First Instance Court of San Francisco Gotera on March 14, 1991 (evidence file, tome III, annex 23 to the submission of the case, folios 1752 to 1755); Witness statement made by Eustaquio Martínez Vigil before the Second First Instance Court of San Francisco Gotera on March 20, 1991 (evidence file, tome III, annex 23 to the submission of the case, folios 1758 and 1759); Witness statement made by Sotero Guevara Martínez before the Second First Instance Court of San Francisco Gotera on May 7, 1991 (evidence file, tome III, annex 23 to the submission of the case, folio 1775), and Sworn statement made by Pedro Chicas Romero before the Oficina de Tutela Legal del Arzobispado on July 25, 2011 (evidence file, tome VIII, annex 3 to the pleadings and motions brief, folio 5530). 118 Cf. Victim statement made by Pedro Chicas Romero before the Second First Instance Court of San Francisco Gotera on October 31, 1990 (evidence file, tome III, annex 23 to the submission of the case, folios 1671 and 1672); Victim statement made by Eustaquio Martínez Vigil before the Second First Instance Court of San Francisco Gotera on March 14, 1991 (evidence file, tome III, annex 23 to the submission of the case, folio 1753); Witness statement made by Eustaquio Martínez Vigil before the Second First Instance Court of San Francisco Gotera on March 20, 1991 (evidence file, tome III, annex 23 to the submission of the case, folio 1758); Victim statement made by Genaro Sánchez before the Second First Instance Court of San Francisco Gotera on April 4, 1991 (evidence file, tome III, annex 23 to the submission of the case, folio 1763); Witness statement made by Genaro Sánchez before the Second First Instance Court of San Francisco Gotera on April 10, 1991 (evidence file, tome III, annex 23 to the submission of the case, folio 1768); Witness statement made by Sotero Guevara Martínez before the Second First Instance Court of San Francisco Gotera on May 7, 1991 (evidence file, tome III, annex 23 to the submission of the case, folio 1775); Sworn statement made by César Martínez Hernández before the Oficina de Tutela Legal del Arzobispado on June 22, 2011 (evidence file, tome VIII, 33