Two Arrested in Connection with Engineer Camilo Peláez's 2022 Disappearance in Colombia

Recent developments in the case of missing Colombian engineer Camilo Peláez have brought a glimmer of hope to his family after more than four years of uncertainty. Two individuals have been arrested in connection with his disappearance, which occurred on April 3, 2022, in the municipality of San Andrés de Cuerquia, Antioquia.

Peláez, a forestry engineer, was in the region for work related to the Hidroituango hydroelectric project. He had checked into a familiar hotel in the town's main square, where he had stayed on previous occasions. According to the hotel administrator, Peláez left the hotel around 9 p.m. on April 3, stating he was going out to eat, but he never returned.

His mother, Claudia Yepes Upegui, has become a prominent advocate in the case, publicly documenting each day of her son's absence. As of July 25, 2026, Camilo Peláez has been missing for 1,573 days. Her persistent efforts have made this one of the most high-profile disappearance cases in Colombia in recent years.

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He arrived on Sunday, April 3, 2022, to stay there, he told me he was going to stay until Friday, that is, five days. He arrived around 4:30 in the afternoon, went into the room, and around 9 at night he went out and told me he was going to eat, but he never came back. I waited all night and he didn't return. Around 7 in the morning I called his cell phone and it went to voicemail.

"God, 1,573 days absent. I hope this progress is the beginning of a complete clarification of the case and that the investigation finally leads to locating my son and knowing the truth about what happened to Camilo. Faith and Hope intact," Claudia wrote on social media, reflecting the renewed optimism following the arrests.

The two individuals arrested are reportedly members of the organized crime group 'El Mesa,' which originated in Bello and expanded its operations to northern Antioquia. The arrested men have been identified as Juan Fernando Tobón Correa, alias 'El Paisa,' apprehended on July 16, and Weimar Alexander Castillo, alias '300,' who was brought before judicial authorities. These arrests are considered crucial steps in uncovering the truth behind Camilo Peláez's disappearance.

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God, 1,573 days absent. I hope this progress is the beginning of a complete clarification of the case and that the investigation finally leads to locating my son and knowing the truth about what happened to Camilo. Faith and Hope intact.