Latest news with #dismemberment
Daily Mail
17 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Missing TikTok star found dead and dismembered in shockingly gruesome crime
A missing TikToker was found dead and dismembered near a water treatment plant in Lima, Peru, earlier this month. On June 9, the body of Fabiola Alejandra Caicedo Piña, 19, was located while workers were conducting a routine inspection of the La Atarjea plant, reported InfoBae, an Argentinian outlet. Pieces of Caicedo's body were found in bags outside the plant. The gruesome discovery led to police officers and prosecutors showing up to the scene. Police identified Caicedo, who posted her last TikTok on June 5, through her distinctive tattoos. A tattoo on her arm included the phrase, 'Love me for who I am' in English. Another tattoo with the words 'Paula Sophia' was found on her torso. Days later, on June 15, more bodily remains were found. As of June 19, body parts were still missing. While authorities are unsure what caused her death, they suspect she was strangled prior to being dismembered. Two main ideas are circulating among police about who could be behind Caicedo's murder. The more straightforward theory is that the young woman was caught up in Peru's human trafficking trade. In recent weeks, multiple young women have been found dead in the Lima area or in the Rímac River, some of them zipped up into suitcases. Police also believe that Caicedo could have been killed by people who wanted revenge for the death of her ex-boyfriend, who died in 2022 under mysterious circumstances. In 2022, Caicedo left her home country of Venezuela at just 16 years old. She was accompanied by her then-boyfriend, Mayner Yoffrey Giménez Castrillo, who was 21 years older than her. Castrillo died months after the two moved to Lima together, which led to his family suspecting that Caicedo was involved somehow. Various family members publicly accused Caicedo, then a minor, of conspiring with a new romantic partner to kill Castrillo. Police first believed that Castrillo was beaten to death but now think it could have been a suicide. The case remains open three years later. Caicedo has never been formally investigated for her ex-boyfriend's death and continued her lifestyle of working at nightclubs and bars. Police suspect that on the night before Caicedo's death, she was lured away from a party under false pretenses. Cigarette burns on her feet and legs have led police to believe that she may have also been tortured. Her remains were thought to be dumped into the Rímac River, where they later ended up at the water treatment plant. Detectives are still reviewing security camera footage and interviewing people who knew her. No arrests have been made and no suspects have been named in Caicedo's murder.
BreakingNews.ie
a day ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Killer who dismembered and dumped man's body in reservoir jailed for at least 24 years
A man who murdered, dismembered and dumped another man's body in a reservoir in Co Tyrone has been sentenced to a minimum of 24 years. Stephen McCourt (41), from Riverview in Augher, in Co Tyrone, was found guilty of murdering Damien Heagney following a trial which ended in April this year. Advertisement Mr Heagney (47), from Cookstown, was last seen alive at the end of December 2021. He was reported missing in July 2022 and his partially dismembered remains were recovered from Cappagh Reservoir the following month. Mr Justice Stephen Fowler told Belfast Crown Court that the dismemberment was 'callous in the extreme' and added greatly to his family's distress, in particular the victim's mother. He also said that the disposal of Mr Heagney's body in the reservoir was an additional step taken to 'conceal, destroy evidence, cover the murder and subvert police investigation'. Advertisement The family of Mr Heagney said the actions that led to his death were 'depraved'. A family statement said: 'The last few years have been torturous for our family. 'No one should ever have to deal with the heartache of losing a son and a brother, yet we have to wake up every single morning knowing that Damien was murdered. 'Damien's life was taken so cruelly, and the actions that followed were depraved – more than we can ever begin to express. Advertisement 'It's actually impossible to stop thinking about what happened to Damien. We go over it, again and again, and it haunts us. 'Yet, among the torment, we've each taken comfort from the genuine kindness and support shown by others. 'We would like to thank the jury who put in so much time and effort, listening to all the evidence to bring back a guilty verdict, especially in such a difficult case. We will always be grateful to them.' A senior police officer said the murder was the 'most senseless loss of a life.' Advertisement Speaking following the sentencing of Mr McCourt, Detective Superintendent Rachel Wilson said: 'While the exact cause of Mr Heagney's death has never been determined due to the decomposition of his remains, the post-mortem did identify possible stab wounds to his head, neck, arms and legs. 'This was the most senseless loss of a life. 'It was a murder made even more disturbing by the way in which Mr Heagney's body was subsequently dismembered, concealed in a number of packages, and ultimately disposed of in a reservoir. 'These actions were callous, cruel and brutal beyond comprehension. 'Today, working in partnership with the Public Prosecution Service and thanks to the support of NI Water, internal police teams and members of the public, Stephen McCourt has finally been held accountable. 'I know that Damien's loving family have understandably been left broken-hearted, and my thoughts remain with them today. 'They have suffered unimaginably, yet have managed to show remarkable dignity and patience throughout this entire process.'
Irish Times
a day ago
- Irish Times
Co Tyrone murderer who dismembered victim jailed for minimum of 24 years
A man who murdered, dismembered and dumped another man's body in a reservoir in Co Tyrone has been sentenced to a minimum of 24 years in prison. Stephen McCourt (41), from Riverview in Augher, in Co Tyrone, was found guilty of murdering Damien Heagney following a trial which ended in April this year. Mr Heagney (47), from Cookstown, was last seen alive at the end of December 2021. He was reported missing in July 2022 and his partially dismembered remains were recovered from Cappagh Reservoir the following month. READ MORE Mr Justice Stephen Fowler told Belfast Crown Court that the dismemberment was 'callous in the extreme' and added greatly to his family's distress, in particular the victim's mother. He also said that the disposal of Mr Heagney's body in the reservoir was an additional step taken to 'conceal, destroy evidence, cover the murder and subvert police investigation'. A senior Police Service of Northern Ireland officer said the murder of Damien Heagney was the 'most senseless loss of a life.' Speaking following the sentencing of Stephen McCourt for his murder, Det Supt Rachel Wilson said: 'While the exact cause of Mr Heagney's death has never been determined due to the decomposition of his remains, the postmortem did identify possible stab wounds to his head, neck, arms and legs. 'This was the most senseless loss of a life. 'It was a murder made even more disturbing by the way in which Mr Heagney's body was subsequently dismembered, concealed in a number of packages, and ultimately disposed of in a reservoir. 'These actions were callous, cruel and brutal beyond comprehension. 'Today, working in partnership with the Public Prosecution Service and thanks to the support of NI Water, internal police teams and members of the public, Stephen McCourt has finally been held accountable. 'I know that Damien's loving family have understandably been left broken-hearted, and my thoughts remain with them today. 'They have suffered unimaginably, yet have managed to show remarkable dignity and patience throughout this entire process.' The family of murder victim Damien Heagney said the actions that led to his death were 'depraved'. A family statement said: 'The last few years have been torturous for our family. 'No one should ever have to deal with the heartache of losing a son and a brother, yet we have to wake up every single morning knowing that Damien was murdered. 'Damien's life was taken so cruelly, and the actions that followed were depraved – more than we can ever begin to express. 'It's actually impossible to stop thinking about what happened to Damien. We go over it, again and again, and it haunts us. 'Yet, among the torment, we've each taken comfort from the genuine kindness and support shown by others. 'We would like to thank the jury who put in so much time and effort, listening to all the evidence to bring back a guilty verdict, especially in such a difficult case. We will always be grateful to them.' – PA
BBC News
a day ago
- BBC News
Damien Heagney: Man handed minimum of 24 years in jail for murder
A man convicted of the murder of Damien Heagney has been sentenced to a minimum of 24 years in Heagney, 45, from Cookstown, County Tyrone, was last seen alive at the end of December partially dismembered remains were recovered from Cappagh Reservoir, County Tyrone in July 2022, a month after he was reported McCourt, 41, from Riverview in Augher was found guilty of murdering Mr Heagney, as well as dismembering and disposing of his body, in April following a three week trial. What was said in court? At a tariff hearing at Belfast Crown Court, Justice Stephen Fowler said he was satisfied to the required standard that Mr Heagney's death was the result of a "vicious attack with a knife, including numerous blows to the head".He described the killing as a "murderous attack" and said he was satisfied the "dismemberment of Mr Heagney's body and the nature of its disposal was intended to conceal the murder".The judge said it was a case of "high culpability" and that the appropriate tariff is one of 24 years.
News.com.au
a day ago
- News.com.au
Japan executes ‘Twitter killer' Takahiro Shiraishi, who dismembered nine victims he found on social media
Japan has executed Takahiro Shiraishi, the man infamously known as the 'Twitter killer,' who was convicted of murdering and dismembering nine people after contacting them through social media. The 34-year-old was hanged on Friday at the Tokyo Detention House. It marked the country's first execution since July 2022. He had been sentenced to death in 2020 after pleading guilty to killing eight women and one man between August and October 2017. Shiraishi was arrested after police searched his apartment in Zama, Kanagawa Prefecture, following the disappearance of a 23-year-old woman who had expressed suicidal thoughts on social media. Inside his residence, authorities discovered three cooler boxes and five containers filled with human remains. Among the macabre findings were heads and bones stripped of flesh. The case sent shockwaves across Japan and brought national attention to the dangers of social media platforms being used to exploit vulnerable individuals. Shiraishi had reached out to victims aged between 15 and 26 who had posted online about suicidal thoughts. Using an alias that roughly translated to 'hangman,' he lured them to his apartment under the pretence of helping them die, according to the Jiji news agency. In court, Shiraishi admitted to murdering the victims to fulfil his own sexual desires, as reported by NHK and TV Asahi. He was found guilty of murder, rape, and dismemberment, and stored the remains in his home. His lawyer initially appealed the death sentence, but the appeal was later withdrawn. 'This case, driven by selfish motives such as sexual and financial gratification, resulted in the deaths of nine individuals over two months – a deeply serious incident that has caused shock and anxiety across society. I understand it is an especially heartbreaking case for both the victims and their families,' Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki said during a press conference on Friday. Suzuki confirmed that he had signed the execution order after 'careful and deliberate consideration of all factors.' In Japan, executions by hanging are carried out in secrecy, with dates not disclosed in advance.
