Remains of Lizeth Bunshi found in Ecuador after 37 days missing

Tragic outcome: Body of Lizeth Bunshi found in Quito after 37 days of searching

The Attorney General’s Office of Ecuador confirmed this Tuesday the discovery of the mortal remains of Lizeth Bunshi, a 28-year-old woman whose disappearance had kept her family in suspense since last July 19. The body was located in the waters of the Machángara River, in Quito, after 37 days of intense search efforts.

Due to the advanced state of decomposition in which the body was found, the authorities had to subject it to rigorous forensic odontology examinations. These technical analyses allowed the Public Prosecutor’s Office to corroborate, hours after the discovery, that the remains indeed belonged to the missing young woman.

Judicial process and demand for justice

For this case, the authorities are keeping Cristian Villavicencio in pretrial detention, who was identified as an alleged friend of the victim and the last person seen with her before her disappearance. Initially, the Prosecutor’s Office charged the suspect with the crime of involuntary disappearance; however, the Bunshi family’s legal defense is seeking a drastic change in the accusation.

Victims have the right to know what truly happened and to have prompt, timely justice without delays. In this case, it is a crime of femicide due to the witnesses who were able to observe what Cristian V. did to Lizeth Bunshi, how he dragged her and spoke to her using pejorative adjectives.

Villavicencio’s arrest took place on July 22nd, supported by security camera footage and testimonies that link him directly to the young woman’s final moments. A reconstruction of the events is expected to take place this coming Sunday, a key proceeding for the plaintiff to achieve the reformulation of charges to the crime of femicide.

An alarming crisis in Ecuador

This event brings back to the table the serious crisis of gender-based violence that the country is going through. According to data from human rights organizations, the statistics in Ecuador are alarming: a woman or girl is a victim of femicide every 22 hours.

• The year 2025 recorded a record figure of 411 sexist murders.
• The reconstruction of the events will be fundamental for the course of the criminal proceedings.
• The preventive detention against the main suspect remains in force while the investigations progress.