The trial against the man accused of murdering a family in Matanzas, including a seven-year-old child, in May 2023, will commence next Tuesday, reported a relative of the victims. The news was shared by Adamarys González, sister of Maykel González Medina, who, along with his wife Linet Lucía Medina and their young son, were brutally murdered, allegedly by former military officer Víctor Luis Hozman Reyes, 30, in the neighborhood near the Eddio Teijeiro -Bellotex- textile factory in Matanzas on May 19 of the previous year.
"Finally, on the morning of July 2, the trial against the murderer of one of the most horrific crimes that have occurred in Cuba will take place at the Provincial Court of Matanzas. The crime of my brother, my sister-in-law, and my beautiful nephew, a child who was only seven years old when this monster decided to take their lives to seize my brother's belongings," González announced on her Facebook profile.
"How is it possible for someone to have the courage to stab a child and then take his mother's life before his eyes? This can only be done by someone who has not an ounce of mercy or feeling," she stated.
The victims' relative demanded that the court take a "tough stance against this murderer who has no right to anything in this life," and wished that "the full weight of the law, and above all, the punishment of God, fall upon him."
"You destroyed our lives, and we will never have them back; they will only live forever in our hearts, and we will have to live with this pain, but you will rot in hell, MURDERER," González concluded in her post.
Hozman was captured hours after the crime at the Jibacoa beach in the province of Mayabeque, as he attempted to flee the country, according to official sources.
In a post on the social network X, the Ministry of the Interior (MININT) confirmed the arrest of the alleged perpetrator of the murder, committed at the El Resplandor farm in the Matanzas municipality on May 19. Objects linking him to the horrific crime were found in his possession from the outset.
According to preliminary information published by the independent newspaper CubaNet after the events, two neighbors of the victims claimed that Hozman, a former reserve military officer of the Armed Forces, was a neighbor and friend of the family and had a mechanical workshop, which "was where he killed Maikel."
The body of the father, who owned another mechanical workshop, was found in a pit adjacent to his assailant's workshop; meanwhile, Linet and their son's bodies were discovered inside the family home.
"The reconstruction of the events indicates that he first killed Maikel and then went to his house for the money he had saved. There he found Linet and the child, and he killed them too," a neighbor recounted.
The source also claimed that the perpetrator "remained in the town buying beer and spending more money than usual while wearing jewelry that apparently belonged to Maikel."
Linet Lucía is survived by a minor daughter who was not present in the home at the time of the brutal crime.
Matanzas Family Murder Case: Key Questions Answered
As the trial for the alleged Matanzas family murderer begins, many are seeking answers regarding the details and implications of this horrific crime. Here are some key questions and answers.
Who is the accused in the Matanzas family murder case?
The accused is Víctor Luis Hozman Reyes, a 30-year-old former military officer.
When did the crime take place?
The crime occurred on May 19, 2023.
Where were the victims found?
Maykel González Medina's body was found in a pit near Hozman's mechanical workshop, while Linet Lucía Medina and their son's bodies were found inside the family home.
What was the motive behind the murders?
The motive appears to be robbery; the accused allegedly killed the family to seize Maykel's belongings.