Everything indicates this was not the first time these suspects had kidnapped and tortured a man with the aim of getting money. The two young women suspected of murdering the Italian businessman Stefano Calandrelli would have done the same with another victim on April 17th. However, that time the result was not lethal.
It’s hard to believe that two women, aged 19 and 24, go to these extremes in order to get money. The Functional Directorate Operative Unit (UODF) of the Public Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that the women, surnamed Smith Smith and Vega Badilla, would be linked to the previous event that occurred several weeks ago.
Their method to contact potential victims is unknown, but one of the possibilities is social networks and mobile applications.
According to Walter Espinoza, director of the Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ),
a few days ago they started investigating cases that involved the temporary disappearance of people with a common link: Smith.”
At first, three other men were arrested for apparently collaborating with the suspects, but they were released on precautionary measures. They must sign every 15 days and maintain a fixed address.
The authorities point out that Calandrelli’s crime was committed by the two girls in the house where they lived (in San Joaquín de Flores). Then, they would have requested help from the three subjects to get rid of the main evidence and the subsequent transfer of the body to route 32 (between San José and Limón).
Another unofficial version, not fully confirmed by the OIJ, indicates that Calandrelli and Smith would have agreed to the appointment through a mobile application Tinder.