Judge extends probe into journalist’s murder

Santo Domingo.- San Pedro Province Instruction judge Ramon Martinez declared complex the case against the murderers of La Romana journalist Jose Silvestre, which gives prosecutors eight more months to prepare the indictment ‘

The fugitive Matias Avelino Castro figures as the masterminding in Silvestre’s kidnapping and later murder, together with Angel Amed Mañón Gutiérrez, Dennis Sierra Junior, Franklin Lugo Mejía and Raisa Danelis Avelino.

The prosecution will reportedly accuse ex Cincinnati Reds star pitcher Jose Rijo and his brother Uldárico de la Cruz of laundering money from drug trafficking for Avelino Castro.

The journalist was kidnapped in August and later shot twice, and his body was found in a country road near San Pedro. He had denounced drug trafficking cases in his magazine and radio program, “Voice of the Truth.”