Dominican Republic’s murder-for-hire business booms: El Dia

Santo Domingo.-The discovery in recent weeks of at least six bodies murdered execution style has revealed a boom in the murder-for-hire business, which already has its "professionals appraisers" who put a price on the life of any person.

That manner of organized crime mostly used by drug traffickers has become so commonplace that rings have surfaced exclusively for contract killing.

A report by eldia.com.do says the booming business is evidenced by the murders of Juan Felix Cordero Febles (Copelin) and Rafael Rijo Astacio (Kico or Maestrico), who allegedly headed a network of assassins suspected of scores of executions for money.

The group is also suspected of developing a new form of that crime: the use of minors as gunmen. “The hired killer is characterized by the cruel violence and coldblooded professionalism in executions.”

It adds that the victims are almost always tortured, shot several times and the bodies torched to erase evidence.