Office of the Inspector General
Department of Justice


USDOJ/OIG Special Report

THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE'S
RESPONSE TO THE ZONA ROSA MURDERS
(September, 1996)

Redacted Version

Table of Contents

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

I. INTRODUCTION

A. Background
B. Objective, Scope, and Methodology of the Investigation
C. Organization of this Report

II. DOJ'S RESPONSE TO THE ZONA ROSA MURDERS: THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION

A. Introduction

B. DOJ's Role in the Immediate Aftermath of the Murders

C. The Salvadoran Investigation

1. The Salvadoran Forensic and Crime Scene Investigation
2. The Salvadoran Interviews of Witnesses

D. FBI Assistance to the Salvadoran Investigation

1. FBI Investigative Steps
2. FBI Laboratory Assistance

E. The Break in the Case--the Arrest of Garcia

F. The Arrest of William Celio Rivas-Bolanos and Jose Abraham Dimas Aguilar

1. Statements to Salvadoran Authorities

(a) The Confession of Rivas
(b) The Statement of Garcia
(c) The Statement of Jose Abraham Dimas Aguilar
(d) The Press Conference
(e) The Statement of David Wilber Villalta Ruano

2. The Eyewitness Identification of Rivas
3. Salvadoran Charges against Rivas, Garcia, and Dimas
4. Salvadoran Theory of the Murders

G. DOJ Opens an Investigation in 1987

1. Background
2. DOJ's Investigative Plan
3. DOJ's Analysis of the Case
4. DOJ Trips to El Salvador and Witness Interviews

(a) [REDACTED]
(b) Garcia
(c) Other Supporting Witnesses

5. FBI Interviews of Witnesses
6. Problems with United States Prosecution of Rivas

(a) Extradition
(b) Admissibility of Rivas' Confessions
(c) Motion to Suppress [REDACTED] Identification of Rivas
(d) Problems with Evidence Handling
(e) Problems Obtaining Information During a Civil War

7. The Indictment of Rivas
8. Plans to Obtain Custody of Rivas

H. Current Status of Prosecution of Rivas

1.Outcome of Judicial Proceedings in El Salvador
2. Deterioration of the United States Case against Rivas
3. Release of Rivas by the Salvadorans in 1995

I. DOJ Information on Other Alleged Perpetrators

1. Juan Antonio Morales Lucero
2. Other Alleged Perpetrators

J. DOJ Information on Alleged "Intellectual Authors"

1. Pedro Antonio Andrade
2. Jose Manuel Melgar, aka Rogelio Martinez
3. Francisco Alberto Jovel

K. Others Mentioned in Connection with the Murders

1. Gilberto Osorio
2. Pedro Vladimir Rodriguez
3. Other Perpetrators Mentioned in CIA, DOS and DOD OIG Reports

L. Assessment of the Salvadoran and United States Efforts to Identify and Prosecute those Responsible for the Murders

1. Salvadoran Efforts
2. DOJ Efforts

III. DOJ'S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ZONA ROSA SUSPECTS

A. Introduction

B. Information DOJ Received from Perpetrators/"Intellectual Authors" of the Murders

1. Garcia
2. Andrade
3. Rivas

C. DOJ's Relationship with Perpetrators/"Intellectual Authors" of the Murders

IV. THE ENTRY OF ZONA ROSA SUSPECTS INTO THE UNITED STATES

A. Introduction

B. The Parole Request for Andrade

1. Andrade's Arrest in El Salvador
2. DOJ Learns of Andrade's Arrest
3. Proposed Interview of Andrade
4. Washington Meetings Regarding Interview of Andrade
5. Interview of Andrade by the FBI and Chidester
6. Andrade's Polygraphs
7. DOJ Efforts to Review CIA Documents
8. The Embassy's September 1989 Request for DOJ Decision on Prosecution and the Issue of Parole
9. Washington Interagency Meetings Concerning the Parole Request

(a) September 27, 1989, Meeting Between DOJ and CIA
(b) September 29, 1989, Meeting Between DOJ and DOS
(c) Interagency Meeting on October 5, 1989
(e) Conclusions about Interagency Meetings

10. Response to the Washington Interagency Meetings
11. DOJ's Assessment of the Case Against Andrade
12. CIA's Review of Intelligence on Andrade
13. The Parole Request Cable in March 1990

(a) The Request
(b) Responsibility for the Parole Request
(c) Addressees on the Parole Request

14. The FBI's Handling of the March 1990 Parole Request Cable

(a) FBI Headquarters' Handling of the Cable
(b) Mexico City Legat's Handling of the Cable
(c) WMFO's Handling of the Cable
(d) Conclusions Regarding the FBI's Handling of the Parole Request Cable

C. Granting of the Parole Request by INS

D. Andrade Enters the United States

E. DOJ Attorneys Learn About Andrade's Parole

F. DOJ OIG Conclusions with Regard to Andrade's Parole

G. Current INS Actions Regarding Andrade

H. Gilberto Osorio

1. Introduction
2. DOJ Information on Osorio Before 1995
3. Recent FBI Interview of Osorio

V. DOJ INFORMATION ON REPRISALS FOR ZONA ROSA MURDERS

ATTACHMENT A -- CHRONOLOGY OF DOJ ACTIONS AND SIGNIFICANT EVENTS IN THE ZONA ROSA MATTER

ATTACHMENT B -- GLOSSARY OF TERMS AND NAMES

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