Former Venezuelan councilor sentenced to 30 years for ex-partner's murder

A former councilor in Venezuela's Aragua state has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for the brutal murder of his ex-partner and the severe injury of their son. Eloy Jiménez, who was also the director of Informal Economy for the Santiago Mariño Mayor's Office, received the maximum penalty for aggravated femicide and aggravated injury.

The crime occurred on September 1, 2023, when Jiménez went to his ex-partner Katherine Pichardo's home. During a heated argument, he doused her with fuel and set her on fire. Their son intervened to help his mother and suffered severe burns to his legs, feet, back, and neck but survived the attack.

Neighbors rushed Pichardo to the Central Hospital of Maracay, but she died minutes after arrival due to the extensive burns covering 99% of her body. Investigations by the Scientific, Penal, and Criminal Investigations Corps (Cicpc) concluded that Jiménez acted out of jealousy and rejection following the end of their relationship.

Jiménez will serve his sentence at the 26 de Julio Judicial Processing Center in San Juan de los Morros, Guárico state. The court's decision reflects the severity of the crime, emphasizing the deliberate and violent nature of the attack.