A popular singer's wife has been murdered in her home after an alleged robbery. As reported by The Plain Dealer Cleveland, she had welcomed two men into their home and served them lemonade before she died.
The woman was identified as 60 year old Zeneida Socorro Castillo. She was the wife of popular Dominican merengue singer Gilberto Julián Sarante, known by Julián Oro Duro ("Hard Gold").
She was killed on September 21 in their home in the west side of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Four men have been arrested in connection with her death.
One of the suspects in her murder, 23-year-old Kevin Dariel Germán Troncoso, had published a detailed account of what allegedly happened in an interview on YouTube prior to turning himself in to DR police.
According to Germán, he and 18-year-old Lawrence "Chiquito" Liranzo Marcos had entered their home. There, Castillo had welcomed them, allowing them to stay and even giving them lemonade to drink.
He went on to detail what exactly happened to her. He said that Liranzo had struck her with a flower vase before attacking her further, where she died. Germán also said that Liranzo would kill him if he left the scene.
"Oro Duro" was also injured in the robbery, with them having waited for him to come home. They allegedly knocked him out and stole his gold chain before fleeing the scene.
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The Robbery Suspects Were Arrested
Following the alleged robbery, four people were arrested in connection with Castillo's death. Alongside Liranzo and Germán, Juan Carlos Hernández García was arrested.
All in all, police recovered $30,000 in cash, an additional 196,000 Dominican pesos (~$3,300), a Rolex, and "additional valuables from the defendants' homes".
Per Spanish-language outlet Diario Libre, police released a statement about their investigation. They said, "We are going to establish the exact time at which these individuals entered the property, the exact time of Mrs Zeneida Socorro Castillo's death, and other key elements in the investigation".
This is a truly tragic case, and we hope that the course of justice reaches the appropriate conclusion. May Zeneida Socorro Castillo rest in peace.
