Authorities have not been able to press charges for the murder of a tourist who allegedly disappeared in La Perla, because his friend and only known witness so far refuses to cooperate with authorities for the investigation.
This was reported by Captain Luis Díaz, director of the Criminal Investigation Corps of the Police in San Juan.
“We have a lot of information about this case and a fairly robust proof,” said Díaz. “But if we don’t have witnesses, I can’t charge anyone with the crime.”
“We know that the injured victim, the friend of the murder victim, does not want to speak. I have called him repeatedly, but this person’s interest is none, zero, nothing, no matter how hard we try, ”he added.
The murdered tourist was identified as Tariq Quadir Loat, 24, of Delaware.
Loat was on vacation in Puerto Rico with his partner. In total, the group of tourists was four people, and they shared a hotel in Río Grande with another couple.
According to police reports, Loat and his friend went to La Perla on Saturday, April 24, where Loat was last seen.
That night, Loat’s friend left La Perla all bloodied, seeking help for the blows he received, after being attacked with a wooden pad and a metal object, which is part of the evidence collected by the Police.
He said he was beaten after allegedly buying illicit drugs and attempting to take photos/video at the scene.
Based on the information offered by Loat’s friend, the Police Commissioner, López Figueroa, reported in a press release – at the time – that both tourists “ignored the warning not to take photographs at the site, which resulted in an altercation, and someone attacked with several objects ”.
After escaping, the tourist indicated that he did not know the whereabouts of Loat, whose partner filed a missing person complaint.
The next day, Sunday afternoon, the police found the body of a burned man in Vega Baja. Two days later, the Institute of Forensic Sciences confirmed that the body was Loat’s.
Meanwhile, his friend left for Delaware that same Sunday, after receiving care at the Río Piedras Medical Center.
Initially they had communication through his partner, but Díaz said that later the tourist gave up his cooperation.
“He doesn’t want to participate. He doesn’t want to know about Puerto Rico, ”Díaz said. He explained that “they killed someone and there have been some people who could have participated, but if I do not have a witness and who does not even want to participate in a lineup, then we cannot take the case.”
“We have tried. It’s not that the agents don’t speak English. All of us speak very well, so they understand everything that is happening here, but nothing is moving forward, “he said.
