The family of a 16-year-old US citizen who died in Paraguay after drinking mushroom tea with friends has spoken out, demanding that officials there allow the FBI to assist the investigation.
Luis Alejandro ‘Alex’ Villamayor, the American son of a former Paraguayan congressman, was found dead from a gunshot wound to the head two years ago on the family estate of René Hofstetter, 18.
Hofstetter’s trial in the murder was delayed for a third time on Thursday, and officials there have twice declined FBI assistance.
Now Alex’s family is demanding US legislation requiring FBI involvement in the foreign murders of citizens, speaking to the Daily Beast in a shocking report that reveals gruesome new details of the teenager’s death.
The case that gripped the South American nation first unfolded on Saturday June 27, 2015 at Hofstetter’s family ranch in Obligado, where Alex was spending the weekend with two friends, Hofstetter and 16-year-old Alain Jacks Díaz de Bedoya.
‘I thought it would be good for him to go to the ranch and have some fun,’ Alex’s mother Puning Luk told the outlet. ‘I never imagined in a million years he was going to be beaten, raped and killed by his friends.’
Alex Villamayor (left) the American son of a former Paraguayan congressman, was found dead from a gunshot wound to the head two years ago on the family estate of René Hofstetter (right)
The night before he was found dead, Alex called his father Luis Villamayor, who lives 400 miles from the Hofstetter ranch.
The teens were drinking mushroom tea alone in the house, although Hofstetter’s parents were supposed to be there.
The call was cut off abruptly, and Alex didn’t pick up when his father tried calling back. Luis called the Hofstetter parents, who sent ranch hand Matthias Wilbs to check on the boys.
The following morning, Hofstetter called Alex’s father Luis crying, and told him that Alex had shot himself, according to the new report.
The local prosecutor rushed to agree the death was a suicide, telling Alex’s parents she suspected the gunshot was self-inflicted the same evening he was found dead.
But evidence emerged painting a much more disturbing picture of the case.
Photos from the crime scene showed a gunshot wound to the right of Alex’s head while the gun was in his left hand.
Alex (pictured) called his father the night before he was found dead, but the call was cut off abruptly and the boy didn’t answer repeated calls back
No gunshot residue was found on Alex’s hands or clothing.
Tests conducted on the gun concluded it had not been fired in a lengthy amount of time.
Alex’s mother noticed that his body was dressed in clothes that did not belong to him, including a pair of black sweatpants that were too large for him.
A second autopsy report revealed additional evidence that Alex had been brutally abused.
The medical examiner found deep bruising all over his body, including his genital area, and marks on his body made by an object like a stick.
The autopsy report also revealed that semen was found in his anus.
Inexplicably, a DNA test showed that the semen was Alex’s own – a finding that the boy’s family has questioned as illegitimate.
Then, if there was any doubt as to foul play, the ranch hand on the Hofstetter’s estate, 35-year-old Matthias Wilbs, reportedly confessed to hiding the murder weapon and placing a non-functional gun in Alex’s hands.
Alex’s family have blamed officials in Paraguay for not allowing the FBI to assist, and are suspicious of investigators who initially rushed to rule the death a suicide
Phone records belonging to Wilbs and Hofstetter revealed that René Hoffstetter called his father over 50 times starting at 3.00am, the morning of June 27.
This contradicted the teens, who said they both woke up at 6.00am to find Alex dead on the back deck.
Prosecutors believe that Alex was murdered some time between 3am and 6am.
As the murder case mounted, Hoffstetter and his parents fled to Germany, saying the teen sought psychological treatment there.
The other teen, de Bedoya, was indicted for murder over two years ago, but was acquitted less than a month later before the investigation had been completed.
Hofstetter and Wilbs are currently in prison awaiting trial for premeditated murder.
Hofstetter’s father, who is in hiding, has been indicted on charges related to the alleged murder coverup and illegal gun possession.
Alex’s aunt, Kim Luk, lives in Maryland and has called upon her congressmen to change the laws in the US so that no American citizen can be murdered abroad without the FBI getting involved.
Before his death, Alex had planned to live with Luk while he studied business management at Montgomery College.
‘More people have to understand what happens to you when you travel overseas,’ she told The Daily Beast. ‘We’re in an administration right now that is seeking Americans first. This is a perfect time for us to change laws.’
Hofstetter’s new trial date has been set for February 19, 2018.