DJ Trespalacios' Body Case In Suitcase, American Man Sentenced To 42 Years In Prison

UNSPLASH/Larry Farr ILLUSTRATION

JAKARTA - American John Poulos was sentenced to more than 42 years in prison by a Colombian court for being found guilty of the murder of a young Colombian DJ named Valentina Trespalacios.

The murder took place in Bogota in January 2023. Prior to his death, Trespalacios began to achieve success at a music festival and has been in a relationship with Poulos since 2021, according to reports from the family and lawyers handling his case.

The Colombian Attorney General's Office said in a statement after the prosecution's ruling had proven Poulos hit and strangled Trespalacios and tried to hide his body.

The security camera footage shows that the perpetrator wrapped the victim's body, hid it in a suitcase and left it in a trash can in the city of Fontib airing, west of Bogota. Found there a few hours later by the authorities," the Attorney General's office said.

During the trial on Tuesday, June 4, the judge considered that the evidence submitted by the prosecutor was sufficient to determine Poulos' mistake, sentenced him to 42 years and eight months about five years less than the prosecutor requested.

In addition, the judge forbade Poulos from approaching or trying to communicate with the Trespalacios family for 20 years, and ordered him to be expelled from Colombia after he completed his sentence.

Poulos' defense team said it would appeal the decision.

In Colombia, the femicide of a woman's murder because her gender is considered a more serious crime than murder. Under Colombian law, the murder of women is often punished with higher sentences.