Preliminary hearing scheduled for Nov. 21
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Omar Vega Ayala, a 25-year-old from Guánica, was taken into custody on Monday after he failed to pay the bail set against him for the murder charges relating to femicide, stemming from an event reported last Friday.
As per the police report, around 1 p.m. on Friday, residents approached the Guánica police station to notify authorities about the discovery of a black suitcase-like item in front of Aurea Quiles School, located in the southwestern coastal area.
Upon arrival, law enforcement officials discovered the deceased body of Annette Gaya Concepción, 37, inside the suitcase-like object.
Judge Shakira Lebrón from the Ponce Court determined there was sufficient reason to arrest Vega Ayala and established bail at $800,000, which he was unable to post.
The accused has since been placed in the Las Cucharas Correctional Complex in Ponce.
A preliminary hearing is set for Nov. 21.
According to official police data, as of Sunday, 48 women have been murdered on the island in 2023. Among those, 22 cases have been categorized as either direct or collateral femicides.
