What a gift for the family! Woman captured in Aranjuez was sentenced to 33 years for killing a foreigner

In a ruling that resonates as a message of judicial force on Christmas Eve, a learned judge from Medellín handed down an exemplary sentence against Nathalia Carolina VS, the woman was sentenced to 33 years and 4 months in prison for her direct participation in the murder of a 37-year-old Ecuadorian citizen, which occurred in December 2024.

This case, which shocked the city’s tourism sector, highlights a criminal modality that the authorities have rigorously tried to dismantle: the use of social networks to recruit foreign victims, subdue them through deception or substances, and subsequently strip them of their belongings, sometimes leading – as in this unfortunate episode – to homicide.

The facts: A date that ended in tragedy in La 70

The investigation, led by a prosecutor from the Crimes Against Life Unit of the Medellín Section, reconstructed minute by minute what happened between the night of December 22 and the early morning of December 23, 2024.

It all started with a digital contact. The victim, who was in the city for tourism or business, contacted VS through a social media platform. After exchanging messages, they agreed to meet at a commercial establishment located in the populous La 70 sector, an area known for its gastronomic and entertainment offerings, but which has also been a focus of surveillance by the National Police due to cases of scopolamine and theft.

According to the work of the judicial police, after sharing for several hours, the man – in an apparent state of intoxication and vulnerability – left the business premises accompanied by the now sentenced woman and another couple whose identity is still under investigation. The group headed to a nearby hotel to continue the meeting, where the crime would take place.

Finding and signs of violence

Hours after his admission, the body of the Ecuadorian citizen was found lifeless by the hotel staff. The forensic report was overwhelming: the victim had multiple blows to the body and clear signs of strangulation. The use of extreme physical force showed that it was not a simple theft that went wrong, but rather a violent attack that sought to silence the victim.

Luxury purchases with the victim’s money

The main motive for this heinous crime was economic gain. The Attorney General’s Office demonstrated that, while the man lay lifeless or dying in the room, his perpetrators dedicated themselves to looting his finances.

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Several credit and debit cards were stolen from the victim, which were used immediately. It is estimated that they carried out transactions and purchases for an amount exceeding 12 million pesos in various establishments in the city.

It is important to note that, for this crime of theft, this woman had already been previously sentenced through a pre-agreement to a sentence of 22 months and 12 days in prison. However, the new sentence for aggravated homicide is now added to guarantee that the defendant serves a long stay behind bars.

Capture and judicial process: Justice for the international community

The capture of Nathalia Carolina occurred on January 2, 2025 in the Aranjuez neighborhood, thanks to a National Police operation that used security camera records from the La 70 sector and the tracking of bank transactions.

The sentence of 33 years is of first instance. Although the legal remedies apply to it, the solidity of the evidence presented by the prosecuting entity, which includes testimonies, videos and technical tests of ballistics and forensic medicine, suggest that the decision will be ratified.

Context analysis: The risk of dating apps in Medellín
This case is not isolated. During 2024 and so far in 2025, Medellín has faced a public safety challenge related to “dating tourism.” The modality usually follows a pattern: