ECUADOR · CRIME
Published Friday, 13 November 2026 · Source: Ecuador Attorney General’s Office, Interior Ministry and Napo police
A judge in Napo, an Amazon province of Ecuador, ordered pretrial detention on Friday 13 November 2026 for Jerson Damián Perugachi Grefa, the suspect in the deaths of two siblings in the provincial capital, Tena. The Attorney General’s Office said he is being investigated for alleged involuntary disappearance resulting in death.
The children, Flor, 11, and Leodan, 8, vanished after leaving school on Friday 30 October, and their bodies were found on Thursday 12 November. The judge set a 90-day period for the investigation phase.
Key Facts
- What A judge ordered pretrial detention for the suspect in the deaths of two siblings in Tena.
- Who Jerson Damián Perugachi Grefa; victims Flor Aracely, 11, and Leodan Bolívar Andi Alvarado, 8.
- Charge Alleged involuntary disappearance resulting in death; the judge set 90 days for investigation.
- When Missing Friday 30 October; bodies found Thursday 12 November; detention ordered Friday 13 November.
- Unknown Cause of death, motive and whether anyone else took part are not yet established.
What the Judge and Prosecutors Decided
The judge in Napo accepted the evidence presented by prosecutors and ordered pretrial detention, the Attorney General’s Office said on Friday 13 November. The ruling described the measure as a last resort.
Pretrial detention means the suspect stays in custody while the case is prepared; it is not a verdict. Prosecutors are examining the case as an alleged involuntary disappearance with a result of death, and autopsies were announced to establish how the children died.
How the Case Unfolded
Flor and Leodan left their school in the Santa Rosa area of Tena at about half past ten in the morning on Friday 30 October 2026. A security camera showed them climbing onto a motorcycle with an unidentified man.
The Attorney General’s Office and the Interior Ministry activated the Alerta Emilia, Ecuador’s alert for missing children, on Sunday 1 November. The children had been missing for 13 days when the bodies were found.
Napo police detained Perugachi Grefa in the early hours of Thursday 12 November, and the bodies were found the same day. Interior Minister John Reimberg posted the suspect’s photo on X and later said he had accepted responsibility, after speaking with the victims’ family.
Napo police chief Juan Carlos Mafla said the detainee matches the man seen with the children in the video. The minister’s statement is not a court finding, and the suspect is presumed innocent until a court rules.
What Is Not Known
The cause of death, the motive and whether anyone else took part have not been officially established. Minister Reimberg said police will widen their inquiries to find out if others were involved.
Autopsy findings had not been published when this report was prepared. The judge set a 90-day period for the prosecutors’ investigation phase.
What It Means for You
Families in Napo are the people directly affected by this case, and the next public steps are the autopsy findings and the 90-day investigation. Readers following Ecuador’s security situation can see in it how a search that began with an Alerta Emilia alert ended 13 days after the disappearance.
For wider context on Ecuador, see our Ecuador coverage. Our recent reports include Ecuador Mayoral Candidate Shot Dead and Ecuador Sends Aid to Flooded Milagro.
More: Ecuador news in English.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the suspect in the Tena case?
Jerson Damián Perugachi Grefa, who is in pretrial detention after the ruling announced on Friday 13 November 2026. He is a suspect, and no court has convicted him.
What is he accused of?
Prosecutors are investigating alleged involuntary disappearance resulting in death. The judge set a 90-day period for the investigation phase.
What does pretrial detention mean?
It means the suspect stays in custody while prosecutors prepare the case, before any trial. The judge ordered it as a last resort.
What is the Alerta Emilia?
It is Ecuador’s alert for missing children. The Attorney General’s Office and the Interior Ministry activated it for this case on Sunday 1 November.
Sources: Ecuador Attorney General’s Office announcement, 13 November 2026; Interior Minister John Reimberg, post on X of 12 November 2026 and later statements; Napo police statements, 12 and 13 November 2026, as published in Ecuadorian news media.
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