Cuenca’s first murder of the year could be a ‘lynching’

National Police investigating Cuenca’s first murder of 2025 say the victim, 24-year-old Adrián Quintero, may have been stoned to death. Deputy Police Commander Julio Navarro said the victim’s body, discovered Monday night in the Ricaurte barrio, showed signs of being struck by blunt objects and was surrounded by a large number of stones.

Cuenca recorded its first murder of 2025 Monday night in Ricarte.

Fire Department first responders, who arrived at the scene before police, reported residents claimed a large number of people attacked Quintero but left when it appeared he was dead. One resident told a first responder that the murder was the result of a drug deal gone bad and that the victim owed money to drug dealers.

Navarro said that all reports are unsubstantiated and that police are reviewing video recordings that may provide details of the death.

Navarro also discounted resident claims that Quintero was known to be a thief who had robbed several Ricarte tiendas. “We will know more soon and will release our findings at the appropriate time,” Narvarro said. “Lynchings and any extra-judicial killing are crimes and cannot be tolerated, and this will be determined by the investigation.”

During an interview on radio station Antena Uno, Azuay Province Governor Santiago Malo said it was “remarkable” that the Ricaurte murder was Cuenca’s first of the year. “It is notable that a city of 650,000 has recorded only one murder through the first three months of the year,” he said. “Of course, one murder is a murder too many, but given the murder rates in other parts of the country, it is clear that Cuenca is exceptionally safe. In fact, there are very few cities in Latin America, or even North America, that have a murder rate as low as Cuenca’s.”

In his interview, Malo was responding to criticism by Azuay Prefect Juan Lloret and Cuenca Mayor Critian Zamora about the government’s neglect of Azuay Province and Cuenca. “The mayor has requested more police, and we will respond, but the claim that crime is increasing in the city is not supported by the data,” Malo said. “Crime in most categories, including murders, has actually declined in recent years.”