September 15, 2025 | 11:28 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Peruvian National Police (PNP) have arrested five suspects in connection with the murder of Zetro Leonardo Purba, a staff member of the Indonesian Embassy in Lima, who was killed on the night of September 1 in the Lince district.
The suspects, three Venezuelan nationals and two Cuban nationals, were apprehended last Tuesday, according to Peruvian news outlet Panamericana.
The arrests were carried out by the Robbery Investigation Division of the PNP, which raided a hotel in San Martín de Porres. The operation targeted alleged members of the criminal gang "Los Maleantes del Cono" (The Criminals from the South), a group reportedly involved in extortion and contract killings.
Seizure of Murder Weapon
During the raids, police seized a large cache of explosives and a firearm, which was confirmed through ballistic analysis to be the weapon used to kill Zetro. Investigators found that the same revolver was allegedly used hours later in an attack on two commercial sex workers in San Juan de Miraflores.
Authorities have identified Jaiquer Antonio Echenaguza Quijada, 23, also known as "Malaco," and Wuilson Jos Soto López, alias "El Primo," as the suspected shooter and motorcycle driver, respectively.
Malaco initially admitted to buying the weapon for “protection” but later said it was given to him by a friend to settle a debt. El Primo reportedly received 300 soles to transport the perpetrators to the crime scene.
Colonel Juan Carlos Montfar, head of the Robbery Investigation Division, said, “Comparison of the bullets found in the body and the casings collected at the scene yielded positive results. The weapon has also been linked to other cases dating back to 2019.”
Investigation Focused on Phone and Surveillance Evidence
The Criminal Investigation Directorate of Peru, as reported by La Republica, is confident that the key to solving the case of the murder of Indonesian official Zetro lies in his phone.
Initial examination of his phone revealed communication with unknown numbers on the day of the murder.
"The phone is crucial evidence, along with testimony from family members, friends, and colleagues who have detailed knowledge of his movements," said a source involved in the case.
Before tracing the unknown numbers, it is important to understand the reconstruction details made by agents of the Homicide Division regarding the hours leading up to the murder. Based on surveillance cameras and witness testimony, it will be possible to determine the route he took from his workplace to his residence in Lince.
“We are certain this was a contract killing,” said an agent from Dirincri. “The phone holds key evidence that will reveal the truth.”
Zetro had been living in Lima with his wife and three children since April 2025. At the time of his death, he served as a young chancellor in the diplomatic mission. Previously, he had worked at the Indonesian Consulate in Australia (2019-2022) and later at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jakarta.
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