Richard Choque

Richard Choque Flores (born November 9, 1988) is a Bolivian serial killer and rapist who killed at least two women in 2021, shortly after being released from a prior conviction. For the latter crimes, he was sentenced to 30 years imprisonment.[1]

Richard Choque
Born
Richard Choque Flores

(1988-11-09) November 9, 1988
Bolivia
Other namesHaide Mitzi Flores Alarcón
Mauricio Terán
Conviction(s)Murder x4
Criminal penalty30 years imprisonment
Details
Victims4+
Span of crimes
2011 – 2021 (confirmed)
CountryBolivia
State(s)La Paz
Date apprehended
2021
Imprisoned atChonchocoro Prison

The severity of his crimes, the allegations that he had raped upwards of 77 women and possibly murdered others, and the fact that he escalated his brutality after his parole led to widespread discussion about the treatment of violent offenders in the country.[2][3]

Crimes

Choque's crimes gained notoriety in Bolivia after it became known that, due to judicial irregularities, he was released from prison amidst serving a sentence for killing a young woman in 2013. On December 24, 2019, Justice Rafael Alcón ordered that he be placed under house arrest for 18 months, despite the fact that he supposed to serve a 30-year sentence and had more than 17 complaints lodged against him - his reasoning for the release was a supposed incurable disease.[4] Choque is said to have been released from prison after paying a bribe of $3,500, after rejecting the offer of a lawyer who had asked for $10,000 for the same service.[5]

Shortly after being paroled, he created a fake account on Facebook under the name 'Haide Mitzi Flores Alarcón' and, through it, posted advertisements on social media where he proclaimed to seek domestic help in exchange for a hefty sum of money.[6] Reportedly, more than 77 women responded to his ads, a majority of whom were poor or had family issues.

Choque's modus operandi consisted of contacting the victims and asking for either sexual services or to deliver a package, whereupon he told them to visit a location of his choosing. Upon doing so, he pretended to be a policeman and accused them of drug trafficking. Choque would then force the victim to "confess" to the crime in video recordings and, in exchange for not turning them over to the police, he would then extort them for money or sex.

Arrest

After several months of investigations, the bodies of two young women who had disappeared in May and August 2021 were found, one of them buried near a house in El Alto, where Choque lived with his sister and mother.[7] On February 2, the skeletal remains of the second victim were found buried in another property owned by the family, which later turned out to be the same place where Choque had buried Blanca Rubí Limachi, the woman he was convicted of killing in 2013. In addition to this, the remains of Choque's first cousin, Fidel Lecón, who had been missing since May 19, 2011, as well as another grave supposedly meant for a future victim, were also discovered.

Upset by the mishandling of the case, a group of neighbors attempted to burn down the murderer's home. Similarly, since the police did not seal the property, several people stole potential evidence in the form of clothes and jewellery either out of anger or while searching for clues regarding missing relatives.[8] Mothers of missing women also came to the house hoping to find a clue about their daughters' fates, searching through burnt clothes and other scorched belongings.[9]

Victims

Fidel Lecón Choque

Lecón, who was Choque's 18-year-old first cousin, disappeared mysteriously on May 19, 2011. At the time, he had been promised by Richard that he would help him get into the Army Sergeants' Military School in Cochabamba in exchange for $5,000. Even after he vanished, Richard continued to claim to Fidel's mother that he was still alive and asked that he provide financial assistance to further her son's military career. Eventually, Lecón's mother began suspecting that Fidel had been killed and filed a complaint against Richard, but it was dismissed due to lack of evidence.[10] When Fidel's body was found, an autopsy determined that he had been poisoned and that he had been decapitated post-mortem. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison for this homicide.[11][12]

Blanca Rubí Limachi

Choque's first definitively confirmed victim was Blanca Rubí Limachi, who disappeared on November 20, 2013. Eight days later, her body was found buried underneath Choque's family home. Reportedly, he had contacted her through Facebook under the name 'Mauricio Terán' and had promised to help her get into the Military College, but Choque instead kidnapped, tortured, sexually assaulted and ultimately killed her.

The day after Limachi's disappearance, Choque contacted her mother through her cellphone and demanded $20,000 ransom in exchange for the safe return of her daughter. As the woman did not have the necessary amount, she contacted the Fuerza Especial de Lucha Contra el Crimen (FELCC), who instructed her to do as the kidnapped said. After leaving the money in a box at the requested location, the investigators followed Choque to his home after he picked it up, where they arrested him and an accomplice. In 2015, both Choque and the accomplice, José Luis Casilla Machaca, were found guilty and sentenced to 30 years imprisonment without parole.

Lucy Maya Ramírez Zambrana and Iris Maylin Villca Choque

The 17-year-old Ramírez disappeared on May 17, 2021, and after her body was discovered, it was determined that she had died from blunt force trauma to the head.[13] Sometime after her disappearance, Choque contacted her family and demanded 70,000 bolivianos in exchange for her release. Ramírez's mother was then sent a photo depicting dismembered corpses, followed by a threatening messages warning them not to contact the police or her daughter would end up the same way.[14]

On August 27, 15-year-old Villca disappeared under similar circumstances. Like the previous victim, Choque contacted the family and demanded 50,000 bolivianos as ransom. According to her family members, he sent them photographs of Villca, still alive and tied up in a bed.[15]

Other possible victims

During the raid on Choque's house, the daughter of a chef named José Luis Mamani García, who had been missing for some time, found her father's hat and apron inside the house. Although it has not been conclusively proven that Choque is connected to his disappearance or possible death, authorities revealed that the two were acquainted and that the last phone call registered on Mamani's cellphone originated from Choque's house.

It has not been ruled out that there are other victims as well, as Choque is known to have traveled extensively to the cities of Cochabamba and Santa Cruz de la Sierra.

Evaluation, conviction and imprisonment

After undergoing a psychiatric evaluation, Jhonny Aguilera, general commander of the Bolivian Police, announced that Choque was diagnosed with an antisocial personality disorder with psychopathic inclinations, most notable of which were aggressiveness and lack of remorse.[16]

In the aftermath of his arrest, Choque was charged with human trafficking, pimping, production of pornography, extortion, illegal possession of a firearm and two counts of murder.[17] He was found guilty on all counts and sentenced to 30 years imprisonment without parole, whereupon he was transferred to the Chonchocoro Prison. His date of release is January 26, 2052.[18]

Reactions

On January 31, 2022, a women's march against male violence and corruption in the justice system took place in several cities across Bolivia. In the La Paz Department, the march started from Choque's house and finished at the regional Department Court of Justice, where dolls representing murderers, rapists and corrupt judges were hung at the doors.[19] Marina Mamani, Ramírez's aunt, made a speech during the march exclaiming that "if [the judges] had not let him leave, this never would have happened."[20]

There was a large presence of ethnic Aymara women at the march, both from the countryside and the city, whom protested the fact that the impoverished had to resort to paying bribes in order to get justice and all the fact that at least 135 violent criminals convicted of rape and murder were not serving their sentences.[21][22] As a result of the protests, a judicial commission was formed to investigate judges and prosecutors who had favored defendants accused or convicted of such crimes.[23]

On March 8, 2022, during the march to commemorate International Women's Day, dozens of women and activists denounced the corruption surrounding the Choque case. The subsequent media coverage uncovered a wide network of corruption including judges, lawyers, doctors, social workers and others.[24] Perhaps most shockingly, it revealed that Choque was a "delegate prosecutor" in the San Pedro Prison, despite the fact that he should have been ineligible for that position due to the severity of his crime.[25] As part of the position, he served on the prison board, was allowed to leave the premises unsupervised and extorted fellow inmates. As a result of these accusations, brought to light by activist María Galindo, the prison warden was dismissed.[26]

There were also calls for chemical castration and the restoration of the death penalty. A senator for Creemos, Erick Morón, requested that the Penal Code be modified to make chemical castration viable.[27] In a similar vein, Congressman Héctor Arce, a member of Movement for Socialism, requested that the death penalty be applied for Choque and others who commit similar crimes, despite the fact it has been abolished.[28] Likewise, the Bartolina Sisa Women's Confederation suggested forced labor for those guilty of murder and rape, as well as longer sentences, including the legalization of life imprisonment, since the maximum penalty available in Bolivia is 30 years.[29]

See also

References
  1. Molina, Fernando (February 4, 2022). "Un asesino liberado por un juez en Bolivia mata al menos a dos mujeres y comete decenas de violaciones" [A murderer released by a judge in Bolivia kills at least two women and commits dozens of rapes]. El País (in Spanish). Archived from the original on March 5, 2022. Retrieved 2022-03-13.
  2. "Vecinos indignados queman casa del violador serial de 77 mujeres y feminicida de Iris y Lucy" [Outraged neighbors burn down the house of the serial rapist of 77 women and femicide of Iris and Lucy]. Agencia de Noticias Fides (in Spanish). January 26, 2022. Archived from the original on July 26, 2022.
  3. Edith Erquicia Chacón (January 28, 2022). "Una mujer en Cochabamba relata cómo se salvó de ser abusada por el violador serial" [A woman in Cochabamba recounts how she was saved from being abused by the serial rapist]. Opinión (in Spanish). Archived from the original on July 26, 2022.
  4. ""Richard Choque Flores: el perfil del desalmado asesino serial de Bolivia"" [Richard Choque Flores: the profile of the sexual psychopath and heartless serial killer from Bolivia]. Bolivia.com (in Spanish). January 27, 2022. Archived from the original on July 26, 2022.
  5. "«Richard Choque, el falso policía y militar que por más de una década asesinó y violó a varias víctimas"" [Richard Choque, the false police and military man who for more than a decade murdered and raped several victims]. Unitel.bo (in Spanish). Archived from the original on July 26, 2022.
  6. "El macabro caso del femicida Richard Choque, que violó a 77 mujeres, impacta a Bolivia" [The macabre case of murderer Richard Choque, who raped 77 women, impacts Bolivia]. Perfil (in Spanish). February 7, 2022. Archived from the original on March 5, 2022.
  7. "Richard Choque: el escalofriante historial del asesino y violador serial" [Richard Choque: the chilling history of the murderer and serial rapist]. Opinión (in Spanish). February 6, 2022. Archived from the original on March 5, 2022.
  8. Esmir Cortez Bece (January 25, 2022). "Vecinos intentaron quemar la casa de hombre que asesinó a dos jóvenes en El Alto" [Neighbors tried to burn down the house of the man who murdered two young people in El Alto]. El Deber (in Spanish). Archived from the original on July 26, 2022.
  9. ""El drama de las madres que buscan pistas de sus hijas desaparecidas en la casa del violador serial"" [The drama of mothers looking for clues to their missing daughters in the house of the serial rapist]. Página Siete (in Spanish). January 27, 2022. Archived from the original on July 26, 2022.
  10. "Denuncia de la desaparición de Fidel Lecón, primo y víctima del feminicida serial fue rechazada hace 11 años" [Complaint of the disappearance of Fidel Lecón, cousin and victim of the serial femicide was rejected 11 years ago]. Unitel.bo (in Spanish). 2022. Archived from the original on July 26, 2022.
  11. "Serial killer Richard Choque was sentenced to 30 years for the murder of his cousin". Innovapress (in Spanish). 2022-09-21. Retrieved 2022-09-21.
  12. Castro, Nancy. "30 years in prison for Richard Choque, this time for the murder of his cousin". eju.tv (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-09-21.
  13. Carlos Corz (March 2, 2022). "Condenan a Richard Choque a 30 años de cárcel por uno de los dos feminicidios cometidos en libertad" [Richard Choque sentenced to 30 years in prison for one of the two femicides committed in freedom]. La Razón (in Spanish). Archived from the original on July 26, 2022.
  14. Jorge Quispe (March 3, 2022). "Choque es sentenciado a 30 años por el asesinato de Lucy" [Shock is sentenced to 30 years for the murder of Lucy]. Página Siete (in Spanish). Archived from the original on July 26, 2022.
  15. Anahí Cazas (January 26, 2022). "Hallan cuerpos de Iris y Lucy, asesinadas por un violador serial con 77 víctimas" [They found the bodies of Iris and Lucy, murdered by a serial rapist with 77 victims]. Plurinacional (in Spanish). Archived from the original on July 26, 2022.
  16. Jessica Vega Muñoz (January 26, 2022). "Asesino serial que mató a 2 adolescentes y las enterró en su casa captaba a sus víctimas con perfil falso y las extorsionaba" [Serial killer who killed 2 teenagers and buried them in his house captured his victims with a false profile and extorted them]. El Deber (in Spanish). Archived from the original on July 26, 2022.
  17. ""Psicópata serial" devela la debilidad del sistema judicial en Bolivia" ["Serial Psychopath" reveals the weakness of the judicial system in Bolivia]. La Patria (in Spanish). March 2022. Archived from the original on July 26, 2022.
  18. "Tribunal da 30 años de cárcel para Richard Choque por el asesinato de Lucy" [Court gives 30 years in prison for Richard Choque for the murder of Lucy]. Opinión (in Spanish). March 2, 2022. Archived from the original on July 26, 2022.
  19. "Marchas en La Paz, Potosí y Santa Cruz contra los feminicidas y la impunidad judicial" [Marches in La Paz, Potosí and Santa Cruz against femicides and judicial impunity]. Agencias de Noticias Fides (in Spanish). January 31, 2022. Archived from the original on July 26, 2022.
  20. "Marcha de mujeres expresa hartazgo por la violencia y la justicia boliviana" [Women's march expresses fed up with violence and Bolivian justice]. Swissinfo (in Spanish). January 31, 2022. Archived from the original on July 26, 2022.
  21. Quya Reyna (March 5, 2022). "Las aymaras frente al machismo, la corrupción judicial y la invisibilización" [The Aymara against machismo, judicial corruption and invisibility]. Muy Waso (in Spanish). Archived from the original on July 26, 2022.
  22. "Feminicidios: "Marcho contra una justicia de mierda que te dejó partir"" [Femicides: "I march against a shitty justice that let you go"]. Erbol (in Spanish). February 9, 2021. Archived from the original on July 26, 2022.
  23. "Ministro de Gobierno se compromete a identificar y revisar casos de jueces que favorecieron a feminicidas y violadores" [Minister of Justice commits to identify and review cases of judges who favored murderers and rapists]. Bolivian Ministry of Justice (in Spanish). March 1, 2022. Archived from the original on July 26, 2022.
  24. Javier Aliaga (February 24, 2022). "Feminicidios en Bolivia: la Justicia al banquillo" [Femicides in Bolivia: Justice on the bench]. France 24 (in Spanish). Archived from the original on July 26, 2022.
  25. Jesus Alanoca (February 8, 2022). "Galindo denuncia que feminicidas controlan la cárcel de San Pedro; su programa sufre un corte de energía" [Galindo denounces that femicides control the San Pedro prison; her program suffers a power outage]. El Deber (in Spanish). Archived from the original on July 26, 2022.
  26. "Denuncia de Galindo sobre "mafia" en San Pedro deriva en destitución de gobernador de cárcel" [Galindo's complaint about "mafia" in San Pedro drifts into dismissal of prison governor]. Opinión (in Spanish). February 11, 2022. Archived from the original on July 26, 2022.
  27. ""Tras delitos cometidos por el "psicópata sexual", piden debatir la castración química y cadena la perpetua"" [After crimes committed by the "sexual psychopath", they ask to discuss chemical castration and life imprisonment]. ATB Digital (in Spanish). Archived from the original on July 26, 2022.
  28. "Diputado Héctor Arce pide pena de muerte y hacer ejecuciones cada 6 de agosto" [Deputy Héctor Arce asks for the death penalty and executions every August 6]. Erbol (in Spanish). February 7, 2022. Archived from the original on July 26, 2022.
  29. "Castración química y trabajos forzados, propuesta contra violadores y feminicidas" [Chemical castration and forced labor, proposal against rapists and murderers]. Opinión (in Spanish). February 15, 2022. Archived from the original on July 26, 2022.
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