On August 15, brothers Josué Daniel and Justin Manuel Rojas López, aged 22 and 20 respectively, were sentenced to 24 years in prison for the murder of 19-year-old Marco Calzada.
While they were also given seven years for robbery, legal guidelines ensure only the longer sentence is served. The judges determined that both brothers played integral roles in the attack, which involved theft and a subsequent fatal stabbing.
The prosecution had originally sought 35 years for the murder, and the Calzada family requested 24 years for the murder and an additional 6 for the robbery. Lawyers for the defendants had aimed for an acquittal, asserting their clients’ distance from the events.
The Terrible Murder
Marco Calzada was out celebrating his 19th birthday at La California with some friends.
While he was walking to get to the bus stop to head home, he was ambushed by a group of five, including the Rojas López brothers. Security footage captured in various locations documented the theft of his phone and wallet and his subsequent stabbing.
Tragically, even though Marco didn’t resist, he was fatally wounded and passed away on site. Further footage revealed the group’s coordinated actions, and one member’s attempt to dispose of Marco’s ID.
The Ruling
The case theory, supported by the Court, was that each member of the group had specific and necessary roles that led to the outcome, implicating all the accused as active participants in the crimes.
Regarding Marco Calzada’s case, a trial had already taken place at the end of the year. With the expedited rules of the Juvenile Criminal Process, three minors were sentenced to custody measures; but in the case of the brothers, they were already over 18 and required a separate process.
In the hearings, dozens of videos were presented showing the attack, as well as the moments before and after, with which the prosecutors insist on proving that it was a group act and excessively violent.
Not Enough
The Calzada family was unable to speak to the press after the hearing. However, they expressed their thoughts via a press release.
“We cannot feel victorious because, since July 2nd of last year, there is a missing hug and kiss in our home on days that are supposed to be celebratory, such as Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Christmas, New Year’s, our birthdays, and those of our other two daughters,” the family stated.
The trial has been extremely painful for the family, as they have been forced to relive a nightmare. Sadly, the process is still not over, and the sentence can be appealed before the Judiciary Court.
Although there was a favorable ruling, it won’t ease the pain of a mourning family who has had to grapple with the devastating impact of high crime rates in Costa Rica.
