Brother of Ecuadorian Drug Lord 'Fito' Shot Dead

David Macías Villamar, a brother of notorious Ecuadorian drug lord José Adolfo Macías Villamar, known as Fito, was fatally shot early Sunday morning in the coastal province of Santa Elena. The 35-year-old was killed around 12:30 AM local time, according to the National Police, who responded to a call from the emergency system and confirmed his death from multiple gunshot wounds.

Police reports indicate that David Macías Villamar had prior arrests for illegal possession of weapons, receiving stolen goods, robbery, and illicit association. He was not only Fito's brother but also an active member of Los Choneros, one of Ecuador's oldest and most powerful criminal organizations.

Initial investigations suggest the assailants were dressed in police uniforms and posed as officers to gain entry to the property where the victim was located. After committing the murder, they fled the scene. The National Directorate of Crimes Against Life (Dinased), in conjunction with the Prosecutor's Office, is actively investigating the crime to identify and apprehend the perpetrators.

This event occurs just one month after another of Fito's brothers, Ronald Javier Macías Villamar, was arrested in Colombia and extradited to Ecuador on June 18. Ronald, considered a key leader within Los Choneros, is now held in Ecuador's maximum-security prison. He, along with six other close relatives of Fito, had previously been indicted for alleged money laundering involving over $25 million obtained from illegal activities. David Macías Villamar was not implicated in that specific money laundering case.

Fito himself is awaiting trial in the United States on drug trafficking charges after his extradition from Ecuador last year. The Ecuadorian government has designated Los Choneros as a "terrorist" organization as part of its intensified efforts against organized crime, a designation echoed by the United States and Argentina. The country has been experiencing an unprecedented surge in violence attributed to these criminal groups.