35
137. An agent of the National Civil Police who arrived at the scene of the crime, said that the
brassiere was covered in blood and the alleged victim was not wearing it; rather it was around her
trousers, which led him to assume that she had been raped.154 In this connection, the IACHR is struck by
the fact that, as the section on proven facts establishes, a suspected rape was called in to the police’s
110 system on the day of the alleged victim’s disappearance at 2:12 a.m. on 7ma. Calle “A” 11-32, Zone
11, Colonia Roosevelt, near where the dead body of Claudina Isabel Velásquez Paiz was found.155 There
is no record of the authorities having followed up on the complaint.
138. The IACHR notes that, as is shown in the proven facts section, a report in the judicial
record stated that the corpse was fingerprinted at the crime scene and that the relevant card was sent
to the forensics laboratory.156 However, as the record shows, those ten-print fingerprints were not taken
at the scene of the crime but at 9:00 p.m. on August 13, 2005, at Funerales Reforma, where the alleged
victim’s wake was held.157
139. In spite of the fact that the body was identified as that of Claudina Isabel Velásquez Paiz
on August 13, 2005, later reports continued to refer to the body as “XX” [Jane Doe].158
140. Amnesty International has observed that in their investigations into murders of women
in Guatemala, the authorities do not accurately document or consider all the elements of the crime,
which reduces the chances of an investigation being thorough and impartial. According to that
organization, “Claudina is yet another victim in a country that fails to protect women from violence.”159
141.
following:160
Amnesty International addressed the case of Claudina Isabel Velásquez Paiz, saying the
In the case of 19-year-old university student Claudina Velásquez who was studying to become a
lawyer, her dead body was found on 13 August 2005. She had been shot and traces of semen
were found on her body. Serious deficiencies were reported in relation to the effectiveness of
the investigation. For example, tests on the principal suspects, to ascertain if they had fired a
154
Appendix 11. report by investigators Jose Antonio Anaya and Dairyn Antonieta López, RAC. 2005-4813 of October
24, 2005, addressed to Celeste Díaz García, Government Prosecutor, Unit No. 14. Copy of judicial record presented by the
petitioners on May 31, 2012.
155
Appendix 24. Complaint to the National Civil Police’s System 110—Confidential information and emergency calls,
August 13, 2005 Information submitted by the petitioners with their communication of January 18, 2011.
156
Appendix 12. Report 2242-2005 E.E.C.G10 of August 16, 2005, issued by Edwin Omar de León Pineda, criminalistic
investigations technician, Group No. 10 Coordinator, addressed to the Homicide Section Prosecution Unit. Enclosed with the
original petition of December 10, 2007.
157
Appendix 13. Report No. 2242-2005 Grupo 11. Report of Marta Yolanda Samayoa López, criminalistic
investigations technician, addressed to the Public Prosecution Service Fingerprint Section. Copy of judicial record presented by
the petitioners on May 31, 2012.
158
For example, Appendix 18, Autopsy report of August 16, 2005, prepared by Mr. Sergio Alder Alfredo Martínez
Martínez, Judicial Medical Examiner (Nec 2604-05). Enclosed with the original petition of December 10, 2007; Appendix 34,
Request by Carlos Antonio Miranda Arévalo Arévalo, Assistant Prosecutor, MP001-2005-69430-C.S., addressed to the Chief of
the Judicial Forensic Service. Enclosed with the original petition of December 10, 2007.
159
Amnesty International, Guatemala: Killings of women continue unchallenged, AI: AMR 34/043/2005, November 24,
160
Amnesty International, Guatemala: Killings of women continue unchallenged, AI: AMR 34/043/2005, November 24,
2005.
2005.