Four suspects detained after brutal killing of merengue star's wife in Santo Domingo
Dominican police have arrested four men linked to the attack that left singer Gilberto Julián Sarante injured and his wife Zeneida Socorro Castillo dead.
Authorities in the Dominican Republic have taken into custody four individuals suspected of the violent raid on the residence of merengue performer Gilberto Julián Sarante, known as Julián Oro Duro. The suspects—Phillips Michael Tejeda Vásquez, Juan Carlos Hernández García, Kevin Dariel Germán Troncoso, and Lawrence Mark Liranzo Marcos—were linked to the artist's entourage through work and personal ties. On 21 September, the assailants ambushed the singer as he returned home to Brisa Oriental VI in Santo Domingo Este, holding his 60-year-old wife, Zeneida Socorro Castillo, for hours before killing her after prolonged torture.
Sarante sustained traumatic head injuries and is still receiving medical care. All four men are now in custody, and investigators, together with the Public Prosecutor's Office, are pursuing further evidence in the case that has shocked the nation.
Why it matters
The arrests highlight a shocking violent crime involving a popular musician, raising concerns about safety and criminal networks in the Dominican Republic.
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