Motorcyclist’s killer in Pedro Brand sentenced to 30 years for robbery

Maximum sentence: 30 years in prison for the murderer of a motorcyclist in Pedro Brand

The Dominican justice system has handed down an exemplary 30-year prison sentence to Eduardo Carlos de León Paula, after he was found guilty of the murder of Miguel Ángel Benítez Mota. The tragic event, which shocked the community of Pedro Brand in Santo Domingo Oeste, occurred on May 20, 2025, with the intent of stealing the victim’s motorcycle.

Crime details and judicial process

According to the investigation led by the Public Prosecutor’s Office, Benítez Mota’s body was located two days after the incident, on May 22, in a wooded area near the road leading to La Cuaba. The prosecution managed to prove that the assailant used a hammer to commit the homicide and subsequently stripped the victim of their means of transport.

A determining aspect of the trial was the forced participation of two teenagers, who were threatened by the convicted man to help him hide the body and move the stolen motorcycle. The minors, under duress, were key witnesses during the judicial process by directly identifying De León Paula as the material author of the crime.

The court, after evaluating the evidence presented by prosecutors Vilma Méndez and Francheska Alcántara, including surveillance camera footage that captured the victim moments before the attack, handed down the conviction which must be served at the La Victoria Deprivation of Liberty Center.

Legal foundations of the conviction

• The collegiate court, composed of judges María Cordero del Socorro, Sandra Josefina Cruz, and Loida Amador Sención, based its decision on the violation of articles 295, 302, 379, and 385 of the Dominican Penal Code.
• Likewise, the corresponding sanctions were applied for the violation of Law 631-16, regarding the Control and Regulation of Weapons, Ammunition, and Related Materials.

With this ruling, the authorities reaffirm their commitment to citizen security and the prosecution of violent crimes that threaten the lives of transport workers in the country.