Attorney General orders investigation into killing of Esmeralda Moronta

Santo Domingo.- Attorney General Yeni Berenice Reynoso expressed deep sorrow over the killing of Esmeralda Moronta de los Santos, a 33-year-old entrepreneur who was shot to death by her ex-partner, Omar Tejeda Guzmán, in the Alma Rosa sector of Santo Domingo Este.

According to authorities, Moronta had gone earlier that day to the Comprehensive Unit for Attention to Gender Violence, Domestic Violence and Sexual Crimes to file a complaint against Tejeda Guzmán for harassment, surveillance, and stalking. Reynoso said she ordered an immediate investigation to determine both the circumstances of the crime and whether prosecutors followed all protocols designed to protect victims of gender-based violence.

National Police spokesman Diego Pesqueira said the attack occurred around 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Moronta reportedly tried to take refuge inside a neighborhood grocery store in Alma Rosa after being pursued by her former partner. The suspect entered the business and shot her multiple times, killing her at the scene.

Moronta was the mother of two children, ages 10 and 3. The Attorney General said the case will be investigated with the rigor it demands and acknowledged the profound pain facing her family, especially her children.

Beyond the tragedy, Moronta was widely recognized as the founder of “Estilo Pastelero,” a home-based baking business she launched about two years ago. Through dedication and specialized training, she built a loyal customer base with personalized cakes, dessert tables, cupcakes, cheesecakes, and traditional Dominican sweets. Her signature products included Dominican sponge cake and dulce de leche volcano cake, and she was preparing to open a physical storefront.

Her death has sparked renewed concern over gender-based violence in the Dominican Republic, particularly in cases where victims had previously reported threats and harassment to authorities.