So far, four people have made statements at the public audience called by the Quito district attorney’s office to investigate the death of Leslie R., a 22-year-old university student. 

Leslie’s body was found last Saturday at one of the Metropolitan Park’s parking lots. No charges have been laid but the death is being investigated as a homicide because strangulation marks were found around her neck.

Juan Andrés B., her boyfriend of four years, made the first statement. He said they had a relationship he qualified as difficult because the woman´s father did not approve. Juan Andre´s also said Leslie was very jealous, which prompted him to break up with her. He says she then threatened to jump off a bridge, and that she was taking tranquilizers to control her mood.

According to the boyfriend, the day she disappeared (March 26), Leslie left her home in Cotocollao early and met up with him. They then took a taxi together to the República de El Salvador avenue and fought on the way there. Since the fight was dragging on, he says he left her and entered his office. He thought they’d continue the conversation in the afternoon, after work.

Santiago G., one of Leslie’s friends, also made a statement to the investigators. He says he received a phone call from Leslie on March 26.

Her voice was breaking, and he remembers her words: “Santi, I feel bad. I want a pill to calm down . Forgive me for all the bad things I’ve done to you.” Santiago also said at the hearing that Leslie often talked to him about fights with her boyfriend. He said she wanted to leave her home because “everyone felt bad and it was her fault.”

Two of her university friends also gave their statements to the district attorney. Jésica G and Carla A. said Leslie did not show up for her classes on March 26 and had told them days earlier that Juan Andres B was “the love of her life, but that he treated her poorly and hit her.” They also said her romantic relationship brought her problems at home with her family, and that made her want to leave.”

The body was found by police after a park guard reported it at 2 p.m. on Saturday March 30. Police found antidepressants near the body (amitriptyline) and said at the scene there was no evidence of violence. The autopsy, however, revealed the cause of death was asphyxia by strangulation.

Original story