DAY SEVENTEEN: Trial Against David Castillo

Last update: May 16 at 1:20 pm

Main Points of the Day

• The prosecutor’s expert witness Brenda Barahona began an over 400 page presentation and analysis of telecommunications (phone calls and texts) of and between the seven men convicted for involvement in Berta’s murder, David Castillo, Daniel Atala, and other unidentified numbers. Through cell phone tower localization data, Barahona traced the physical locations of each person over different periods of time (24 hours before/after Berta’s murder, 2015, 2016, etc) and related each to the physical locations of the other suspicious individuals. This data was presented without conclusions (so far).

• The data is similar to what was presented in the previous trial against the seven convicted men but included more telecommunication and localization data about David Castillo and possibly Daniel Atala. The following was revealed:

  • In the 24 hours period 12:00 am on March 2, 2016 to 12:59 pm on March 3, 2016, the phone number used by David Castillo called Douglas Bustillo, Sergio Rodriguez, Jorge Avila (DESA’s head of security), and Daniel Atala. Castillo exchanged four text messages from Bustillo and sent one. According to phone towers, Castillo was in Tegucigalpa around this time frame

  • In the same 24 hour period, Daniel Atala communicated with David Castillo and Jorge Avila and according to phone towers, was located in Tegucigalpa.

• The data seems to show that communication increased amongst the criminal group - between some more than others (for example between the lead hitman Henry Hernandez and Douglas Bustillo; and amongst some the hitman) - in the 24 hour period around the time of the murder and around February 5 and 6, 2016. Douglas Bustillo’s telecommunications data seems to be the key of linking Castillo with the communication between Bustillo and the group of hitman.

• The extensive witness analysis will continue tomorrow at 9 am.

More Details

Telecommunications Analysis

• Expert witness Brenda Barahona begins by outlining the methods of extraction: Cellebrite UFED, PC software, internal phone applications, and manually.

• Overviews cell phone tower ranges showing a picture of the cell tower in La Esperanza that embarks the El Líbano residency, where the murder occurred. The geographical distance that corresponds to a cell tower’s range is called LAC (Location Area Code)

• Explains the technical elements of identifying a cell phone’s IMEI [like an individual code unique to each phone]

• An extraction of Berta Cáceres cell phones are presented. There are two:

  • A Blu cell phone [a small non-smart phone] with only four numbers saved in it; and also Berta’s Sony Xperia phone

  • Using the Sony cell phone, a timeline of events starting at one hour before the murder is presented. The timeline outlines incoming/outgoing calls, connections to wireless networks, text messages, a login into Facebook, etc.

    • A phone call goes into Berta’s phone at 23:27:33 (this is suspected as being the last call before/during the murder) and then several on-going calls (Gustavo’s frantically trying to find help) from 23:39:31 to 00:38, after the murder.

    • Barahona describes, using telecommunication data, Gustavo’s lack of success at getting through to the first phone numbers he calls and how the phone ran out of phone credit (Salvador, Victor Fernandez, Tomas, etc).

Photo of presentation published by COPINH. Title reads: “Time line of Days 2 and 3, last events done and received by Ms. Bertha Caceres between 18:17:00 and 0:09:00 when it is detected the first message informing about her death.”

• Using the phone towers corresponding to the area where El Líbano is located, Barahona explains how odd and irregular phone numbers that connected to the cell tower the night of the murder (between 22:00 on March 2 to 4:00 on March 3, 2016), were identified.

  • The first identified suspicious phone numbers that pinged off the El Líbano cell tower within the designated timeframe (00:00 on March 2 to 23:59 on March 3, 2016) were 9484-2712; 9777-5627; 8803-3076, 8740-0653, and 9842-6844

Identifying Owners of The Suspicious Phone Numbers In Close Proximity to Crime Scene

The owners/users of the suspicious numbers were then identified and telecommunication registries between 00:00 on March 2, 2016 to 23:59:59 on March 3, 2016 were noted:

• 9484-2712 belonged to Oscar Aroldo Torres Velásquez, received 10 incoming calls and 3 outgoing calls from/to another suspicious number (8803-3076). 11 of the phone calls within the time frame specified above. All pinged off the cell towers corresponding to the area where El Líbano is located.

  • The geographical location and movement of the phone within the same time frame showed that the phone pinged off a cell tower in La Ceiba [northern Honduras] and travelled on March 2 to the department of Intibuca.

photo published by copinh. title reads: “Location of telephone No. 9484-2712 (oscar aroldo torres) in the period of 00:00:00 to 23;59:59 on 03/03/2016”

• 8803-3076 used by Edilton Atilio Duarte Meza, made 10 outgoing calls to Oscar Torres [number above] and 12 to a suspicious number, 9775-5627 in the possession of Henrry Hernandez. In the few minutes around the time of the murder, four of those calls were made to Oscar Torres and Henrry Hernandez and pinged off the tower capturing calls from El Líbano.

  • The geographical movement of the phone within specified timeframe shows that it travelled from La Ceiba to Intibuca the day of the murder and pinged off the relevant phone towers over the course of the trip.

PHOTO published by copinh. Title reads: “Location of telephone No. 8803-3076 (Edilson Atilio Duarte Meza) in the period of 00:00:00 to 23;59:59 on 02/03/2016”

• 8740-6538 used by Elvin Heliberto Rápalo Orellana, made 8 outgoing calls and 21 outgoing and 15 incoming texts to/from Douglas Bustillo and had 3 incoming calls from Henry Hernandez. In the same time frame, the phone pinged off the towers in La Ceiba, Santa Barbara [where he resided], Intibuca around the hours before the murder, and the later in the day in the northern city of El Progreso.

• Later on in the analysis, the expert shows the amount of communication between the hitman during different time frames (2015 and in 2016).

Telecommunications of Group’s Head Hitman (Henry Hernandez)

• 9775-5627 used by Henrry Javier Hernandez Rodríguez (believed to be the ringleader of the hitman) made several phone calls in the specified period: 16 outgoing and 2 incoming calls and 26 outgoing and 31 incoming text messages to/from Douglas Bustillo; 4 on-going calls to suspicious number 8740-6538 in the possession of Elvin Heliberto Rapalo Orellana; and 3 out-going and 13 incoming calls and 1 outgoing text to/from Edilson Atilio Duarte Meza. Around the few minutes that the murder occurred, the number connected to cell towers in Intibuca.

  • The geographical movement of the phone within specified timeframe shows that it travelled from La Ceiba to Intibuca the day of the murder and pinged off the relevant phone towers over the course of the trip.

photo published by copinh. title reads: “Location of telephone 9775-5627 (Henrry javier hernandez rodriguez) in the period of 00:00:00 to 23:59:59 of 02/03/2016”

• In the time frame 29/01/2016 and 12/04/2016, Henrry Hernandez had 43 incoming and 54 out-going calls to/from Douglas Bustillo; 24 incoming and 7 out-going to/from Edilson Duarte Meza; 1 incoming and 7 outgoing to/from Mariano Diaz Chavez; and 4 incoming from Elvin Heliberto Rápalo Orellana.

photo published by copinh. title reads: “the number 9775-5637 used by henry javier hernandez rodriguez during the period 29/01/2016 at 13:49:33 to 12/04/2016 at 13:35:15. He communicated via telephone with:”

• Hernandez’s cell phone connected to the cell towers in Intibuca from January 29 to 31, 2016, February 5 to 6, 2016 [when is the suspected date of the aborted attempt to murder Berta Cáceres] and again on March 2 to 3, 2016.

Telecommunications of Other Suspicious Individuals

• 3328-1417 used by Mariano Díaz Chávez, made one call to Douglas Bustillo at 12:47:45 on March 2, 2016. In the specified time frame, Díaz Chávez was located in Tegucigalpa.

• 9992-6503 used by Sergio Ramón Rodríguez Orellana, made calls to Douglas Bustillo at 6:29:10 on March 3, 2016; several incoming/on-going calls and 1 incoming a 1 outgoing text to/from Jorge Avila between 18:16:22 on March 2, 2016 to 18:42:37 on March 3, 2016; and a call to David Castillo at 05:34:18 on March 3, 2016. Data shows that Rodríguez travelled from Santa Barbara (close to the dam site) to Tegucigalpa during the specified time period.

• 8881-2872 used by Emerson Eusebio Duarte Meza [accused of murder but found not guilty at trial]. He communicated once with his brother, Edilson Duarte Meza during the specific time frame and was located in La Ceiba.

• 9438-1818 used by an unidentified individual. There was no activity of calls, texts or cell activity in the specific time frame.

• Another phone number (9873-3907) that according to the data expert’s presentation belongs to an unidentified individual but that is registered by the Standard Fruit de Honduras S.A./Rafael de Jesús Hasbun Altamirano, was identified as suspicious.

  • In the time frame specific above, there were 19 incoming and 43 outgoing calls to phone number 9789-4733 for a total of 172 calls. None of these calls were made to suspicious phone numbers.

  • The phone pinged off the towers in the department of Yoro during the specific time frame.

• 9452-8319 used by Jorge Alberto Avila made 6 calls to Sergio Rodriguez and exchanged 1 incoming and 1 outgoing text message with Rodriguez in specific time frame. The phone connected to cell towers located in Comayagua and Intibucá, including specifically being in La Esperanza until at least 12:30:08 on March 2, 2016.

Douglas Bustillo Maintained Communication with the Group of Hitman

• Another suspicious number identified as having several communications with several suspicious individuals was Douglas Bustillo. In the specified time period (00:00:00 of 02/03/2016 to 23:59:59 of 03/03/2016), there were 3 incoming and 2 outgoing calls to/from one of Henrry Hernandez’s numbers (9726-7794) and 16 incoming and 5 [unclear on diagram] outgoing calls to another number belonging to Henrry Hernandez (9775-5627); 1 incoming and 2 outgoing calls to/from Mariano Diaz Chavez; 8 incoming calls from Elvin Heliberto Rapalo Orellana; 1 incoming call from Sergio Rodriguez; and 14 out-going calls to David Castillo.

PHOTO PUBLISHED BY COPINH. TITLES READS: “OUTGOING AND INCOMING TELEPHONE CALLS FROM 9842-6844 (DOUGLAS GEOVANNY BUSTILLO) IN THE PERIOD OF 00:00:00 02/03/2016 TO 23:59:59 OF 03/03/2016.

PHOTO PUBLISHED BY COPINH. The text reads (top to right): “The number 9842-6844 used by Douglas Geovanny Bustillo, in the period spanning 01/01/2016 at 3:17 am to 18/04/2016 at 19:21. By telephone call, the number communicated with the numbers:”

Right hand side: “3328-1417, used by Mariano Díaz Chávez, with a total of 76 incoming/outgoing telephone calls. 8740-6538, used by Elvin Heliberto Rápalo Orellana with a total of 8 incoming/on-going calls. 97267794, used by Henrry Javier Hernández Rodríguez with a total of 99 incoming/out-going telephone calls. 9990-0946 used by David Castillo with a total of 17 incoming/outgoing calls; 9775-5627 used by Henrry Javier Hernández Rodriguez with a total of 97 incoming/outgoing calls; and 9992-6503 used by Sergio Rodriguez with a total of 1 incoming/outgoing call.

David Castillo’s Telecommunication Activity

• Within the specified time frame (00:00:00 on 02/03/2016 to 23:59:59 on 03/03/2016), Castillo (to phone number 9990-0946) received phone calls to/from Jorge Avila, Daniel Atala, Sergio Rodriguez, and Douglas Bustillo. Castillo received 31 incoming and 2 out-going texts to/from 9991-0594 [not specific who this is and appears to not have been ruled out of the investigation] and 4 incoming and 1 outgoing texts to/from Douglas Bustillo.

• The first text communication with Douglas Bustillo occurred at 8:24:21 on March 3, 2016. The text was outgoing and an incoming text from Bustillo came at 9:57:25.

• In the specified time frame, David Castillo’s phone connected to phone towers located in Tegucigalpa

photo published by copinh. Title Reads: “OUTGOING AND INCOMING TELEPHONE CALLS FROM 9990-0948 (Roberto David Castillo mejia) IN THE PERIOD OF 00:00:00 02/03/2016 TO 23:59:59 OF 03/03/2016.

Daniel Atala’s Telecommunications Activity

• Within the specific time frame, Daniel Atala (9624-0728) made two calls: One to Jorge Avila (March 3, 2016 at 16:53:11) and the another to Castillo (March 3, 2016 at 21:58:06). This cell phone number connected to cell towers in Tegucigalpa during this time frame.

Berta Cáceres’s Telecommunications Activity

• From her 9827-0708 phone number, Berta made one outgoing phone call and 4 text messages to Castillo between 01/01/2015 and 31/12/2015.

  • Several telephone calls were made between Berta and other unidentified numbers that had communication with the hitman [This is believed to be informants of the criminal structure].

  • Berta had two incoming calls between 01/01/2016 and 11/03/2016 to 9735-4010 registered her her phone as “Salvador Sánchez,” [an informant?] who during this same period had 7 incoming and 13 out-going calls to Sergio Rodriguez.

• From her 9911-0085, Berta had 49 incoming calls and 21 outgoing calls and 25 outgoing and 14 incoming texts to/from David Castillo; and had 3 incoming calls from Douglas Bustillo in the time period 01/01/2015 to 31/12/2015. There was no calls with any suspicious phone numbers during the period 01/01/2016 and 07/04/2016 but there were 17 outgoing and 3 incoming texts from David Castillo.

  • In the period 01/01/2016 and 07/04/2016, Berta had communication with 5 different unidentified phone numbers that then, in the same period, were linked to telecommunication with Henrry Hernandez, Douglas Bustillo, Sergio Rodríguez, Oscar Torres, and David Castillo. [NOTE: To me, this demonstrates a criminal structure monitoring and closing in on her].

  • In the period 01/01/2016 and 07/04/2016, Berta sent one text message to 9735-4010 [saved in her phone as Salvador Sánchez, who during the same period, had 7 incoming and 13 outgoing calls to/from Sergio Rodriguez