A taxi driver identified as Hernán JL has become the third person linked to the investigation into the murder of Sandy Q., 42, who was killed inside a funeral home in Cuenca earlier this year.
A judge ordered that Hernán JL be investigated as an alleged accomplice in the case. He was placed under precautionary measures requiring periodic court appearances and a prohibition on leaving the country.
The judge also approved a 30-day extension of the prosecutorial investigation phase.
The case began on March 4, 2026, when prosecutors charged Alwin Enrique M. and Kevin David C., who were allegedly connected to the criminal group ‘Los Lobos,’ as co-perpetrators in the killing.
The shooting took place around 11:00 p.m. on March 2 inside a funeral home on República Street in Cuenca, where Sandy Q. was attending the wake of a relative who had been murdered the previous day in Las Orquídeas.
Investigators allege that Alwin Enrique M. entered the funeral home and fatally shot the victim. Two other people were injured during the attack.
Authorities say the suspect initially fled on a motorcycle allegedly driven by Kevin David C. Prosecutors later traced the escape route to Huayna Cápac Avenue, where Alwin Enrique M. allegedly entered a taxi driven by Hernán JL.
A motorcycle without license plates believed to have been used in the crime was later found in Miraflores.
On March 3, police arrested Alwin Enrique M. and Kevin David C. at a commercial establishment in Barrial Blanco. Cocaine and marijuana were reportedly seized during the operation.
Prosecutors linked Hernán JL to the case through surveillance footage that allegedly showed the taxi circulating near the funeral home shortly before the murder. Investigators said the footage also appeared to show the driver speaking with Kevin David C. before the shooting and later transporting the suspected gunman away from the scene.
Additional evidence presented included police investigative reports, officer testimony, autopsy findings, and crime scene analysis.