Two men accused of drugging and killing an American Airlines flight attendant during a layover in Medellín, Colombia, have been arrested in Peru, months after the slaying. Authorities allege the suspects are tied to a criminal organization known for preying on foreign tourists.
Andrés Felipe Peña Corrales, 23, and William Olave Gamboa, 31, were captured in Peru in connection with the March killing of Eric Fernando Gutierrez Molina, 32, a Dallas-based flight attendant whose disappearance in Medellín prompted an international search. Peña Corrales has since been transferred to Colombia to face charges, while Olave Gamboa remains in Peruvian custody awaiting extradition proceedings. Both men face charges including aggravated homicide and aggravated robbery in Colombia.
A third suspect, María del Carmen González, 24, was arrested separately in Montería, Colombia. Investigators allege she participated in withdrawing and moving money stolen from foreign victims as part of the group’s operation, though not directly involved in Gutierrez Molina’s killing.
Colombian police identified all three suspects as alleged members of Los Goteros, a criminal organization accused of targeting foreign tourists by contacting them through dating apps, gaining their trust, drugging them, and stealing valuables. Investigators believe Gutierrez Molina was contacted through a dating app before meeting several individuals at a nightclub in Medellín's El Poblado neighborhood. The group then allegedly proceeded to a hotel where Gutierrez Molina and his coworker were drugged, their belongings stolen, and their financial accounts accessed. Gutierrez Molina was reportedly strangled, while his coworker survived.
Scopolamine, sometimes referred to as "Devil's Breath" or "Dragon's Breath," may have been used to incapacitate the victims, according to reporting by El Colombiano, though authorities have not publicly confirmed toxicology findings. Investigators allege the group accessed Gutierrez Molina’s bank accounts, stole other valuables, and abandoned his body near Jericó, southwest of Medellín, where it was found five days later.
Gutierrez Molina disappeared in March while on an overnight layover in Medellín before his scheduled continuation to Miami. Friends told local media at the time that he shared his location from an Airbnb near José María Córdova International Airport before communication suddenly ceased, leading coworkers and family members to report him missing. Days later, Medellín Mayor Federico Gutiérrez announced that authorities had recovered a body near Jericó, which was later identified as Gutierrez Molina.
American Airlines issued a statement expressing heartbreak over the passing of their colleague and confirmed they were assisting Colombian law enforcement in their investigation. "Our thoughts and support are with his family, loved ones and colleagues during this difficult time," the airline stated.
The arrests concluded a months-long international investigation involving U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, Colombian prosecutors, and Peruvian authorities. The U.S. Embassy in Colombia stated that the outcome reflects the strong commitment of the United States, Colombia, and Peru to work together to bring criminals to justice and ensure the safety of international travelers in the region. The embassy also recognized the Mayor’s Office of Medellín, Colombia’s National Police, and Peru’s National Police for their contributions to the investigation. Authorities are working to determine if other foreign tourists were victimized by Los Goteros using a similar scheme.