Alleged key figure in Los Costeños criminal group murdered in Villa Campestre

Mayra Alejandra Vera Duarte, identified by the alias 'La Mona,' was fatally shot in the Horizonte residential complex in Villa Campestre, within the municipality of Puerto Colombia, Atlántico. Authorities are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding her death.

Vera Duarte was known to security agencies due to past legal proceedings and was previously identified by the Prosecutor's Office as being closely associated with Jorge Eliécer Díaz Collazos, alias 'Castor,' the alleged leader of the criminal group Los Costeños. Judicial sources indicate that the homicide is under active investigation, with forensic units collecting evidence to determine responsibility and motive.

Prosecutors had previously linked 'La Mona' to investigations involving extortion, land dispossession, and alleged financial support for Los Costeños. Reports suggest she may have managed illicit funds and participated in intimidating property owners in various sectors of Atlántico. Investigations indicated she allegedly used video calls featuring 'Castor' to pressure victims and facilitate the appropriation of properties for the criminal organization.

Her name gained public attention following her arrest in February 2023 during an anti-extortion operation in northern Barranquilla. At that time, the Prosecutor's Office charged her with conspiracy to commit aggravated crimes for extortion, financing illegal armed groups, aggravated extortion, and disruption of possession of real estate. However, she was later released by judicial decision, as the court found insufficient evidence presented by the prosecution to demonstrate her alleged involvement.