Lázaro Cárdenas, Q.R. — Robbery has been determined the motive behind a shooting that left a German man dead and his British girlfriend injured. On Monday, State Attorney General Óscar Montes de Oca said that their investigation has lead them to attempted robbery as the motive.
He made the announcement during a Monday morning press conference from Chetumal. During the conference, Montes de Oca said that five people entered the property with the intent of robbing the buildings.
When one of the men tried to resist the gunmen, he was shot. He died at the scene. He has been identified as Martin “S” from Germany. His 32-year-old British girlfriend Sofie “W” remains stable in a Playa del Carmen hospital.
“The investigations indicate that there was resistance and the subjects fired a 9-millimeter weapon,” he explained.
The shooting happened on the morning of June 9 on a private ranch in the municipality of Lázaro Cárdenas (a northern area in the state of Quintana Roo). According to Monte de Oca, details surrounding the shooting were obtained from the British woman who continues to recover in hospital.
“The woman is fine. She has already been interviewed and has already provided more information,” he said adding that details regarding the shooting have also come from “some employees who work on the ranch.”
Five people entered La Esperanza Ranch. The ranch’s workers were subdued by the invading group of thieves before they made their way to the main house. Once there, they met the couple who were temporary caretakers of the ranch.
The property is owned by a German woman. Carl, Sofie’s father, told Riviera Maya News that his daughter and her boyfriend arrived at the ranch on May 23 to look after it while the owner was away.
The couple were on the ranch less than two weeks when the shooting happened.
