Cellphone chats reveal new details in murder of Lieutenant Salazar

Conversations discovered on a cellphone belonging to Mariela M. P., mother of suspect Anderson Mateo R. M., alias ‘Mateo,’ reportedly contain information relevant to the investigation into the murder of Lieutenant Yerson Salazar Aliendres. The lieutenant was killed in the community of Ascención de la Frontera, within the municipality of San Matías.

The chats were uncovered during an August 5 raid on a relative's property in San Ignacio de Velasco. This operation was initially focused on illegal firearm possession. During the raid, police seized a 16-gauge shotgun, two shotgun shells, and a 9-millimeter casing. Investigators also examined Mariela R. M.'s phone with her permission. She has since been sentenced to six months in the Palmasola prison.

According to a preliminary FELCC report, the phone contained conversations directly referencing Salazar's murder and subsequent actions. One exchange mentioned, "They will keep looking, they want the body," and another noted, "They already caught the sub-lieutenant." The messages also indicated awareness of police deployments from La Paz and potential incursions into various ranches in San Matías where ‘Mateo’ might have been hiding.

Investigators identified references to a light blue pickup truck found near a runway in Ascención de la Frontera and discussions related to the property owners. This information is considered significant given that Salazar's murder occurred in a border region of San Matías, an area where police conducted extensive operations to apprehend those responsible and recover the officer's body. The incident was first reported on July 30.

Further segments of the conversations alluded to ‘Mateo’s’ situation. The police report suggests he was not apprehended during the raid and his current whereabouts are unknown. Messages indicated he was at a ranch in San Matías and was "heavily armed," along with warnings about the risks associated with police presence.