Former Ecuador international footballer Mario Pineida has been brutally murdered in a targeted shooting, casting a dark shadow over the festive season in one of South America's most violent nations.
A Chilling CCTV Capture of the Attack
The 33-year-old defender was killed alongside his companion, 39-year-old Peruvian businesswoman Guisella Fernandez, in a horrifying attack captured on security cameras. The incident occurred around 4pm local time on Wednesday outside a butcher's shop in the northern part of Ecuador's port city of Guayaquil.
Footage from the scene appears to show a premeditated assassination, with two assailants lying in wait for their victims. Pineida, who had driven his mother and Fernandez to the shop to buy a pork shank for a family Christmas meal, can be seen raising his hands before one of the killers opens fire at close range. The second attacker, wearing a motorcycle helmet to conceal his face, targeted Fernandez.
Both victims continued to be shot while they lay on the ground after the initial volley of bullets. Pineida's mother was also injured in the attack but did not sustain serious wounds.
Mistaken Identity and a Family's Grief
Initial reports incorrectly identified the female victim as Pineida's wife, Ana Aguilar. Aguilar later took to social media to issue a heartfelt and painful clarification. "I respectfully and emphatically clarify that this information is completely false," she stated. "I am his wife, Ana Aguilar, mother of his three children, and I am alive and well."
She expressed the family's profound grief, saying, "We deeply regret the passing of my husband, Mario Pineida, an event that fills us with grief as a family." Aguilar, who identified her husband's body at the murder scene after being alerted by a relative, has been questioned by investigators. She told police she was unaware of her husband having any enemies.
Fernandez, described locally as Pineida's new partner, had lived in Ecuador for several years and was linked to several businesses, including a mobile phone company reported to have accumulated debts. Her mother told mourners at her wake, "My daughter didn't have any enemies. All I know is that everything done here is paid for. Let justice be done."
A Nation Grappling with Soaring Violence
The double murder has sent shockwaves through Ecuador's football community and highlighted the country's escalating security crisis. Pineida is the fifth footballer killed in Ecuador already this year. The nation is on track to endure its most violent year on record, with the Ecuadorian Observatory of Organized Crime reporting more than 9,000 homicides.
Pineida, a full-back who earned nine caps for Ecuador between 2014 and 2021, was currently playing for Ecuadorian Serie A side Barcelona Sporting Club. He had a stint on loan at Brazilian top-flight club Fluminense in 2022. Both clubs issued statements expressing their deep sorrow at his passing.
In a development in the case, police announced the arrest of one suspect following raids. A City Hall company monitoring CCTV said technical analysis helped detect the motorcycles used in the crime and locate one of the alleged perpetrators. The hunt for the second killer continues.
As teammates and fans gathered for Pineida's wake, his funeral was scheduled for Thursday, leaving a nation to mourn another life cut short by relentless violence.
