In Bogota on Tuesday, an American man received a 42-year prison sentence for the murder of a well-known Colombian DJ, a case that sparked international outrage from women’s rights activists.
John Nelson Poulos, apprehended in January 2023 in Panama while attempting to evade Colombian authorities, was found guilty of killing 23-year-old Valentina Trespalacios, whom he had been dating for less than a year. Prosecutors revealed that he had violently assaulted and suffocated her during a fit of jealousy.
Security footage depicted Poulos leaving his residence with a cart containing a large suitcase, inside which Trespalacios’ body was concealed. Her remains were subsequently discovered in a dumpster.
This incident occurred against the backdrop of rising concerns about femicide in Colombia. The Colombian Femicide Observatory, an NGO, documented 612 cases of femicide in the country the preceding year, while the government’s official tally stood at only 100. Femicide has been recognized as a distinct crime in Colombia since 2015.
