Couple Found Bound and Fatally Shot in Guatemala Sugarcane Field Weeks After His Deportation from U.S., With Baby Alive Beside Them

A tragic incident has unfolded in Guatemala, where a couple, Nixon Giovanni Pérez Paz and Glendy Marisol González de la Cruz, were found shot dead in a sugarcane field, leaving their young child as the sole survivor. The dreadful discovery took place near the city of Retalhuleu in the southwestern part of the country, where their one-year-old daughter was found unharmed at the scene.

The bodies of 43-year-old Pérez Paz and his 25-year-old wife were significantly marked by violence; both were discovered with their hands bound behind their backs. Reports indicate that Pérez Paz had sustained a gunshot wound to the neck, while González de la Cruz had a fatal injury to her head. Investigators have also retrieved several pieces of evidence from the crime scene, including shell casings, a discarded shoe, and a motorcycle.

Following the tragic event, the couple’s three daughters have been placed into the care of extended family members as authorities continue their probe into the circumstances surrounding the murders. At this stage, neither a suspect nor a motive has been publicly provided by the Guatemalan authorities as the investigation remains ongoing.

The couple’s reunion in Guatemala had only recently taken place, following Pérez Paz’s deportation from the United States. He had been detained in Missouri last year by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for being unlawfully present in the country. Upon his deportation, González de la Cruz chose to return to Guatemala with their three daughters to be with her husband.

Family members have expressed deep sorrow over the deaths, with Pérez Paz’s brother, Rolando, stating that the loss has left an indelible pain. “If immigration hadn’t picked up my brother,” he lamented, “my sister-in-law would still be alive, and the children wouldn’t be going through this sorrow.” He placed the blame for their tragic end squarely on U.S. immigration policies, highlighting the fact that they seemed detached from the human consequences of their actions.

Local authorities in the U.S. have also voiced concerns regarding the situation. Overland Mayor Marty Little expressed his dismay upon learning about the couple’s deaths through media reports. He specified that city officials had not been informed prior to, during, or after the ICE operation that resulted in Pérez Paz’s arrest. Little raised points about the potential safety risks of unannounced federal immigration actions, referring to the deep-seated fears individuals may experience in such situations, exacerbated by a lack of local law enforcement involvement.

In an effort to remember and honour the lives lost, a candlelight vigil has been organised outside Overland City Hall on 2 August. This gathering aims to provide the community with a chance to reflect on the couple’s lives and the impact their tragic deaths have had on their family and friends.

As investigators work to piece together the events leading to this horrific incident, the community’s grief is simultaneously steeped in questions about safety, immigration policies, and the human cost of such enforcement actions. The case serves as a reminder of the broader, deep-rooted issues surrounding migration and the lives affected by these policies on both sides of the border.