First picture of woman, 41, found dismembered on beach on Gran Canaria after sending pal final text message
A COLOMBIAN woman whose body was found dismembered on a Gran Canaria beach has been identified as 41-year-old Triana Arias.
It comes after local police arrested the owner of a popular bar in Las Palmas for his alleged connection to the horrific murder.
3
First picture of Triana Arias, 41, who was found dismembered on a beach on Gran Canaria
Credit: Canarias7
3
The Dismembered body of a woman was found on a beach in Gran Canaria
Credit: RadioTelevisión Canaria - RTVC.es
3
The bar where the owner was arrested has now been sealed off with police tape and an armed guard
Credit: RadioTelevisión Canaria - RTVC.es
Tragic Arias had previously texted a mate to say that she was going to a party - but she was not seen alive after that.
Her hacked up
Police believe the person who killed her had first stabbed her in the neck before trying to dismember her body.
They also suspect she was unconscious and bleeding to death while the attacker chopped at her legs.
READ MORE WORLD NEWS
According to local eyewitness reports, the arrested suspect is the owner of the popular Arenales Bar Cafeteria.
The investigation is still ongoing, and police have not ruled out further arrests.
Part of Arias' neck was also hacked off.
Cops think this was an attempt to dispose of her body in a container or bags before the corpse was left on a San Andres beach.
Most read in The Sun
The bar where the owner was arrested has now been sealed off with police tape and an armed guard.
After her body was found by a passer-by, the Armed Forces' Homicide Unit was deployed to the search for her killer.
The bar owner was arrested at his home in Las Torres on May 6, and is due to appear in court either on Wednesday or Thursday.
Tragedy in Trémolat: The Shocking Death of Karen Carter
A search has been conducted at both his house and business premises.
Several officers in balaclavas took away a number of sealed plastic bags as they collected potential evidence.
It is not the only tragedy to have struck the Canary Islands in recent days.
A man in his late 40s
He is reported to have fallen to the promenade while trying to take the snapshot in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Emergency services rushed to the scene of the incident, but he was pronounced dead upon their arrival.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Independent
25-05-2025
- Irish Independent
Colombian gangs are using a deadly ‘zombie' drug to prey on gullible tourists
A dose of the narcotic, once used as a CIA truth serum, can paralyse victims ©Telegraph Media Group Holdings Ltd Yesterday at 21:30 Colombian gangs are using a deadly drug once used by the CIA as a truth serum to kidnap and rob Western tourists. Dubbed Devil's Breath, the drug scopolamine is derived from the seeds of the Borrachero tree and is also known as burundanga.
The Irish Sun
24-05-2025
- The Irish Sun
How tourists are being targeted with ‘Devil's Breath' drug that turns victims into ‘zombies' for robberies & kidnaps
TOURISTS in Colombia are being hunted by gangs using a terrifying drug dubbed Devil's Breath — a mind-warping chemical that turns victims into compliant 'zombies' before they're robbed, kidnapped or even killed. Also known as scopolamine or burundanga, the powerful drug is derived from the seeds of the Borrachero tree and was once tested by the CIA as a truth serum. 6 Tourists in Colombia are being targeted by gangs wielding a terrifying drug known as Devil's Breath Credit: AFP 6 Devil's Breath comes from the seeds of the Borrachero tree Credit: Alamy 6 UK-based scientist Alessandro Coatti was poisoned in Colombia Credit: 6 In doses as small as 10mg, it can paralyse victims and leave them highly susceptible to commands, making them easy prey for criminals. Victims lose their will, forget what happened, and often hand over PINs, valuables and passwords without a fight. Now Colombian gangs are plying unsuspecting tourists with the drug via drinks, chewing gum, cigarettes — or even business cards soaked in the substance — often after luring them through apps like Tinder or Grindr. And the body count is rising. Murders, robberies & warnings In a UK first, the drug was used in 2019 to Read more world news Teen killer Diana Cristea and her boyfriend Joel Osei met him on Grindr, poisoned him with scopolamine, and ransacked his flat. They were later convicted of murder and attempted murder of a second victim. In Colombia, foreign visitor deaths rose by 29% last year. Robberies in Medellín alone soared by 200% in the last quarter of 2023, prompting international warnings. The US Embassy warned: 'The use of online dating apps can increase your risk. Be cautious meeting strangers.' Most read in The US Sun Backstreet chemists can extract 90% pure scopolamine with little more knowledge than a second-year science student. In grapefruit juice, the drug is even more potent because the juice slows the body's ability to break it down. UK scientist's brutal death British-based scientist Alessandro Coatti, 42, was on holiday in Santa Marta last month when he was lured to an abandoned house via Grindr. There, investigators believe he was drugged, bludgeoned to death, dismembered, and stuffed into suitcases. Only his head, hands and feet have been recovered. Footballer rushed to hospital after being shot as he got into firefight with bungling robbers who killed man at bar Mayor Carlos Pinedo Cuello said: 'We are offering a reward of fifty million Colombian pesos for information that will allow us to identify and capture those responsible. This crime will not go unpunished.' Coatti, a Royal Society of Biology scientist, had been travelling in South America after leaving his job to volunteer in Ecuador. He was identified by a hotel wristband found on one of his severed limbs. While the exact cause of death for the Italian scientist remains officially unconfirmed, there is speculation that he may have been drugged with scopolamine prior to his murder. The 'Scopolamine Queen' One of the masterminds behind this chilling criminal trend is alleged gang boss Carolina Mejía Montoya, 27, nicknamed 'The Queen of Scopolamine.' She was arrested in Medellín after years of drugging and robbing foreign tourists in luxury apartments and hotels across the tourist hotspots of El Poblado and Parque Lleras. She racked up millions in thefts, using her beauty to gain the trust of high-profile visitors. In one night alone, she stole more than 120 million pesos from an Italian and an American man, police said. CCTV captured her leading victims into short-term rentals before drugging them and fleeing with their cash, cards and jewellery. Mejía, part of the La Marina gang, had previously been granted house arrest in a gun case — only to vanish and continue her spree. 'You do anything they say' Victims describe the effect of the drug as hypnotic and horrifying. Fernando, a 64-year-old Brit, believes he was drugged while on a work trip to Bogotá in 2012. He told He said he blacked out after sipping a spiked beer and woke up the next day with €1,000 gone. Security later confirmed he'd wandered back to his hotel, retrieved a card from his safe, and left again—while still under the influence. 'It does something to your brain where you forget completely… it's like a vacuum,' he added. 6 Gang boss Carolina Meija Montoya arrested in Medellin Credit: Policía Metropolitana del Valle de Aburrá 6 In Colombia, foreign visitor deaths rose by 29% last year Too late to remember Others haven't been so lucky. Colombian TikTok user 'Manning' recalled being drugged after a Tinder date — waking up six hours later in a ransacked apartment, his valuables, designer clothes and even his flip-flops gone. 'It was the worst experience. I woke up and found myself lying in my apartment, a mess,' he said, according to Security footage showed the date calmly leaving with stolen suitcases. And it's not just apps or nightlife. In Bogotá, scopolamine has been sprinkled on ATMs, notebooks, and even jackets to target unsuspecting victims in daylight. In one case at the Atlantis Shopping Center, a woman fainted after touching a keypad coated in powder. In another, a man became disoriented after trying to help a stranger with directions near the Andino mall. Both survived — but experts warn many do not. 'It puts the brain to sleep. You are a zombie,' Dr Sarah Cockbill, a retired consultant pharmacist, told The Telegraph. 'People do just wander round in what looks like a trance.' Prof Kamyar Afarinkia, a toxicology expert, added: 'You can get a business card, soak it in [scopolamine], let it dry and then give it to somebody. 'When they touch it, unless they wash their hands quickly, it gets absorbed under their skin.' The drug's popularity with criminals lies in its subtlety. Victims won't realise they've been exposed until it's too late—and many are too embarrassed to report it. According to the US Embassy in Bogotá, eight American citizens died in late 2023 alone from involuntary drug overdoses or suspected scopolamine-related homicides.
The Irish Sun
09-05-2025
- The Irish Sun
Chilling texts of tourist, 24, beaten to death at festival after being abducted by man who ‘promised to make her a star'
A TOURIST found dying in a coma after a music festival sent a series of terrifying texts to her parents following an apparent abduction. Ivonne Daniela Latorre vanished from the Zamna electronic music festival in Cairo, Egypt, which she went to with her friend, Colombian beauty queen Estefania Bedoy. Advertisement 6 Ivonne Daniela Latorre died after being found in a coma Credit: Newsflash 6 Ivonne (L) with her friend Estefania Bedoy and Jessi Escobar (middle), who the police want to speak to Credit: Newsflash 6 A selection of the texts Ivonne sent to friends and family after apparently being abducted She was found horrifically injured and in a coma days after crossing paths with some men who posed as producers and promised to make the friends into stars. Ivonne died in a Cairo hospital five days later on May 4, whilst Estefania made it back safely to the hotel. Now, horrifying messages she sent to her parents in Colombia have emerged, tracking her realisation that she was in grave danger. One chilling text referring to "The Serbian" said: "He's scaring me." Advertisement read more in world news Another read: "They want to do something to me. They want to kidnap me." In a third she begged: "Please come with the police. Please come urgently." She also told her parents: "They don't want to make us a band," revealing that the men had lured the friends in with false promises. Ivonne flew into Cairo on April 24, excited for the festival to mark her birthday. Advertisement Most read in The Sun Pictures and videos posted to her social media showed Ivonne enjoying herself in the sun. The two women were reportedly invited to an after-party on April 27 by somebody called Jessi Morena, who they met at the festival. At least ten dead and dozens injured after tourist boat capsizes in China A snap shows the pair decked out in Egyptian attire alongside Jessi, in front of a large crowd of revellers. All went smoothly and the pair partied the night away - until they met two unidentified men. Advertisement It was at this point that Ivonne sent out the distress signals. Estefania ended up back at the room, unharmed, but without Ivonne. 6 The Colombian disappeared after attending a music festival in Cairo Credit: Newsflash 6 Ivonne was in Egypt with her friend Estefania Bedoya - a former Colombian beauty queen Credit: Newsflash Advertisement Her family told Colombian press: "Neither her family nor her friends knew she was missing until Tuesday, April 30, when Estefanía, her travelling companion, contacted us." After hearing of her disappearance, Ivonne's friends and family made a series of frantic calls to Cairo hospitals to locate her. In a conversation later shared by Ivonne's relatives, Estefanía wrote: "She hasn't woken up. They found her several days ago. "She fell from a great height and I wasn't there; she was with other people at the time." Advertisement She died five days after her loved ones found her in hospital - never recovering consciousness. Cairo police are quizzing Estefania, who apparently refused to tell Ivonne's family what had happened to her. They are also seeking a man called Jessi Escobar, a friend the women are said to have met locally, and the two men she introduced them to. One relative, Alexandra Marin, told Colombian media: "We had a hard time finding the hospital due to language barriers and the lack of cooperation from the people involved." Advertisement Ivonne's family has launched a GoFundMe appeal to help them bring back her body and fund the legal expenses to investigate her death. 6 Jessi Escobar allegedly introduced the pair to the two men Credit: Newsflash
