Attention: this is the version of the businessman who, according to President Petro, killed his employee with a weapon in the offices of his firm in Bogotá

Almost 30 days after the confusing murder of Juan Sebastián Romero Macías, a 39-year-old graphic designer, two versions of what really happened that Friday, June 26, were given to the Prosecutor’s Office.

The case has escalated to such an extent that even President Gustavo Petro referred to the homicide in the middle of this week: “An employer killing the worker who works for him with a firearm. A worker who sells his intellectual labor force forged by study. This is what fascism is in Colombia. (…) Juan Sebastián Romero, hero of labor in Colombia.”

What is known so far is that the young designer was murdered by his boss after being shot while he was in the middle of his workday.

EL TIEMPO investigated and established that the shooter is Jhonnathan Estefan Trujillo Reina, legal representative and owner of the company J&M Distribution S.A.S, registered in 2013 in Bogotá and dedicated to the trade of footwear and clothing.

And after the confusing episode, which occurred at the company’s headquarters, located near El Dorado airport, versions began to emerge according to which the relationship between the young Romero and his boss was tense and unstable, and even that there was an alleged complaint of workplace harassment.

Judicial sources told EL TIEMPO that two versions of what happened were given to the Prosecutor’s Office.

This newspaper contacted Diego Romero, the victim’s brother, who stated that there is a video in the possession of the Prosecutor’s CTI that would show that the boss shot intentionally.

“It shows everything that happened. According to what they tell me, both are meeting in the office and Jhonnathan takes the weapon and points it at his chest,” said Diego Romero.  

According to the brother, the video was handed over to investigators without audio, which would hinder the investigation, since, in his opinion, the phonetic track was fundamental to establish the alleged discussion they were having that day.

What he did clarify is that it is false that there was a complaint of workplace harassment from his brother against the boss, but he indicated that the victim was demanding a salary increase.

EL TIEMPO also contacted Eduardo Curtidor, Jhonnathan Trujillo’s defense, who began by assuring that his client has already appeared before the Prosecutor’s Office as an indicted person. 

Regarding the facts, he stated that erroneous versions of the situation have been published, and assured that his client fired the weapon by accident: “It occurred in circumstances that would have happened during the manipulation of a traumatic weapon that was disused and that was accidentally discharged.”

“As soon as the events occurred, he called the family to tell them what happened. My client and the other people who were at the scene provided immediate assistance to Juan Sebastián Romero and proceeded to transfer him to the Clinic,” the lawyer assured.

Regarding the pistol, he said he had acquired it approximately 6 years ago: “What was fired was a rubber pellet. It impacted on the left side. It’s a lie that he aimed at his chest.”

Furthermore, he denied the version according to which the audio of the video was removed: “That would be an even more serious crime, manipulation of evidentiary material, and that has never been done. The evidence is under the custody of the CTI and was collected under a technical process.”

(Consult all articles from EL TIEMPO’s Investigative Unit here)

And regarding the version that the weapon was used for the defense of two relatives of his client who were convicted several years ago, he assured that the events had no relation and that responsibilities are individual.

The lawyer also stated that after the incident, his client began to receive threats.

INVESTIGATIVE UNIT

u.investigativa@eltiempo.com

@UinvestigativaET

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