By Horace Assar, Courier Staff Writer
Jairo Mora Sandoval was a Sea Turtle Conservationist who headed to the beach with four other foreign female volunteers on the night of May 30th, 2013.
They were all kidnapped by seven drug dealers. The women escaped, while Jario was captured and tortured to death. Jario then died of head 
trauma and asphyxiation.
At the time of his death, Dario was on an operation to protect leatherback sea turtles from poachers. Research shows that such environmentalists in parts of South and Central America are in much danger due to the poachers and drug dealers who roam the beaches, who will kill anyone in their way.
Four of the seven defendants were convicted and three were acquitted. All seven defendants were accounted for sexual assault against one of the female volunteers. The four men who were convicted received sentences ranging 74 to 90 years for both crimes, and each of those defendants will serve fifty years in prison.
Weeks before the verdict, prosecutors dropped charges against Darwin Salmón, one of the defendants, due to “lack of evidence.” On the other side of the courtroom, Fernanda Sandoval and and Rafael, who were Jairos parents, went through great grief. Thankfully, these criminals were brought to justice and given sentences.