Peru Holds 4 in Murder of Former Congressman Medelius

PERU · CRIME

Peruvian police and prosecutors have detained four suspects over the 2025 murder of former congressman Óscar Medelius in Lima. Prosecutors say one of them led a gang that used violence to seize land around a mining concession.

Peru’s prosecution service said a joint dawn operation with police detained four alleged gang members on Monday, 12 October. Prosecutors link them to the Medelius murder of Monday, 10 February 2025, a shooting that killed two men in Carabayllo.

For US readers, the case shows the land-trafficking and extortion gangs that have pushed crime to the top of Peru’s agenda. The US State Department already tells Americans to exercise increased caution in Peru because crime is common.

Who Was Detained and Where

The Public Ministry, Peru’s prosecution service, named the alleged leader as José Aybar, known by the alias “Don José”. Three other alleged members of the network were held with him under a judge’s order for preliminary detention.

Preliminary detention in Peru is short, court-approved custody that lets prosecutors gather evidence early in a case. None of the four has been convicted, and all are presumed innocent.

Citing the police, Lima broadcasters RPP and Willax reported that two suspects were caught in Ocucaje, in the southern Ica region. RPP said Aybar was stopped near Lima’s El Derby bridge and the fourth man in Independencia district.

Prime Minister Luis Galarreta’s office confirmed the Ica arrests late on Monday, crediting the police homicide division. It said the gang is under investigation for aggravated land seizure, land trafficking and contract killings.

Why Prosecutors Link the Gang to the Medelius Murder

The Public Ministry says the network formed in 2020 to seize 580 hectares of the “Acumulación Cristopher” mining concession in Carabayllo. Prosecutors say the group planned to sell the land, about 1,430 acres, illegally in plots.

Prosecutors allege the group used violent incursions, fraudulent mining registrations and legal manoeuvres, and planned to kill a group of businessmen. The Public Ministry calls the network “Cantera”, while police statements use the name “Los Malditos de Carabayllo”.

On 10 February 2025, attackers fired on the victims’ pickup truck at the junction of Universitaria and Camino Real avenues. Medelius was killed, a second man, Juan Huidobro, was later confirmed dead, and a woman was seriously wounded.

RPP reported that the victims were representatives of a firm called D y H Contratistas Generales. Willax quoted Colonel Carlos Morales, the police homicide chief, saying the group had used violence since 2020 to seize the concession.

Medelius sat in Peru’s Congress from 1995 to 2000, during the government of Alberto Fujimori. RPP recalled on Tuesday that police at first treated his killing as a settling of scores.

A Wider Push Against Organised Crime

Galarreta presented recent police results on Monday with Interior Minister César Astudillo and the commander of the National Police, Fredy López. He said the government’s fight against crime “is going to be radical” and announced a committee to speed up extortion inquiries.

What It Means for US Readers

Peru is one of the world’s largest copper producers, and US firms Southern Copper, Freeport-McMoRan and Newmont run major mines there. Gangs that seize mining concessions and land through violence add a security cost to that investment.

The case also matters for travel and business safety in Lima. The State Department rates Peru at Level 2, “Exercise Increased Caution”, and its advisory says violent crime can happen even in daylight.

For investors, the test is whether the arrests lead to convictions, a process that can take years in Peru’s courts. Extortion and contract killings now shape security policy in Lima, which affects every company operating there.

What Is Not Known

Prosecutors have not said whether the four will face formal charges, or when a judge will rule on longer pre-trial detention. They also have not said who fired the shots in February 2025 or how many members remain at large.

The suspects’ lawyers have not commented in the reports reviewed. Media reports add full surnames for the suspects that the prosecution’s statement does not give.

Claims about earlier arrests of the alleged gunmen and about items seized at Aybar’s home appear only in media reports. They have not been confirmed by the police or prosecutors.

What Comes Next

The Public Ministry said it is keeping watch on properties linked to the case ahead of planned searches. It added that work continues to locate and capture the network’s other members.

Once preliminary detention ends, prosecutors must release the suspects or ask a judge for longer pre-trial detention. The arrests do not settle who ordered the killing, which only a court can establish.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who Was Óscar Medelius?

He was a Peruvian congressman from 1995 to 2000, during the government of Alberto Fujimori. He was shot dead in the Lima district of Carabayllo on 10 February 2025.

Who Is the Main Suspect?

Prosecutors name José Aybar, alias Don José, as the alleged leader of the network. He has not been convicted and is presumed innocent.

Why Would a Gang Kill Over Land?

Prosecutors say the group wanted to seize 580 hectares of a mining concession and sell the land in plots. They allege the network also planned to kill a group of businessmen.

Is Peru Safe for American Visitors?

The US State Department rates Peru at Level 2 and tells travellers to exercise increased caution because of crime. Its advisory says violent crime can occur in daylight and that the risk rises at night.

What Is Preliminary Detention in Peru?

It is short, court-ordered custody that lets prosecutors gather evidence early in an investigation. Prosecutors must then free the suspects or ask a judge for longer pre-trial detention.

Sources: Ministerio Público, Fiscalía de la Nación; Presidencia del Consejo de Ministros; RPP; Willax; US State Department, Peru Travel Advisory (all accessed 13 October 2026).