DEA agent killed in Colombia during apparent robbery attempt

CBS News ^ | 06/21/13

[AtlasStalled]

A DEA agent has died in an apparent robbery attempt in Colombia, U.S. Ambassador Michael McKinley said Friday. Colombian authorities said the American agent was stabbed four times.

[Born to Conserve]

It was not a robbery, it was “kill the American cop”.

[AppyPappy]

What a coincidence.

[Sender]

DEA agent in Colombia...sounds like a dangerous job.

[Sopater]

Col. Camilo Cabana of the National Police said that the taxi Watson was riding in was intercepted by another cab about three blocks from the restaurant. Two men got out and tried to pull the American out of the vehicle, stabbing him three times in the chest and once in the leg, Cabana said.

The assailants abandoned the agent in the street, where he was found shortly afterward by a police patrol. Watson was taken to a clinic several blocks away, but had already died.

Yeah, doesn't sound like a "robbery attempt" in slightest.

[Cindy]

http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/news/2013/06/21/us-dea-agent-stabbed-to-death-by-robbers-in-colombia/

“U.S. DEA Agent Stabbed To Death By Robbers In Colombia”
Published June 21, 2013Fox News Latino

SNIPPET: “Police were reviewing area security cameras in hopes of identifying the assailants. The police department has offered a reward of 50 million pesos (about $25,000) for information leading to the arrest of those responsible.

In addition to serving in Colombia, Watson had served in Honolulu, Hawaii and San Juan, Puerto Rico. He also served on three deployments to Afghanistan, conducting counter-narcotics missions as a member of DEA’s FAST program, according to the agency.

Prior to becoming a DEA agent, Watson worked for the U.S. Marshals Service and served in the United States Army.
 
Based on reporting by The Associated Press.”

[Cindy]

http://www.thenewsstar.com/article/20130621/NEWS01/306210031/-1/rss

“DEA agent, a Rayville native, killed in Bogota”
Jun. 21, 2013 12:31 PM

SNIPPET: “Early in his career Watson worked for the Richland Parish Sheriff’s Department.”

[Cindy]

NOTE The following text is a quote:

June 25, 2013

www.justice.gov/dea/divisions/hq/2013/hq062513.shtml

The Drug Enforcement Administration’s statement regarding the arrest of four individuals in connection with the murder of Special Agent Terry Watson in Bogota, Colombia:

JUNE 25 (WASHINGTON) -“The Drug Enforcement Administration is grateful for the outstanding work of the Colombian National Police, the Special Investigative Unit and the Attorney General’s Office that led to the swift arrest of these suspects,” said DEA Administrator Michele M. Leonhart. “We will never forget Special Agent Watson and his sacrifice, as well as all those who have given their lives for the rule of law. We salute the brave and expeditious work of Colombian law enforcement and we look forward to justice being served.”

[Cindy]

http://www.borderlandbeat.com/2013/06/colombia-arrests-made-in-killing-of-dea.html

“COLOMBIA: Arrests Made in Killing of DEA Agent”
Tuesday, June 25, 2013 | Borderland Beat Reporter Chivis
BorderlandBeat.Com

SNIPPET: “The Colombian newspaper El Tiempo reported that Watson was a key agent in the arrest and extradition of drug trafficker Hipolito Martínez Felipe González and his network, who operated out of the Gulf of Urabá near Colombia’s northern border with Panama.

Local authorities have said the killing was a express kidnapping.”

[Cindy]

NOTE: PHOTO GALLERY AT LINK.

http://www.lawofficer.com/article/news/colombia-arrests-six-killing-u

“Colombia Arrests Six in Killing of U.S. DEA Agent

Colombian and U.S. officials believe agent killed in common robbery, not because of his law enforcement work”

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) —

SNIPPET: “Metropolitan Bogota police commander Luis Edwardo Martinez announced the arrest on Wednesday and said officials still believe the June 20 killing came during a robbery, and was not related to work done by 43-year-old James Watson, who was known as Terry.

Officials say the gang attacked Watson on June 20 after he got into a taxi outside a restaurant, and stabbed him to death. They say the group apparently had carried out similar robberies using taxis.”

[Cindy]

http://www.officer.com/news/11018130/six-colombians-indicted-in-dea-agents-death

“Six Colombians Indicted in DEA Agent’s Death”
PETE YOST
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
CREATED: JULY 19, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) —

SNIPPET: “The defendants are Gerardo Figueroa Sepulveda, 38; Omar Fabian Valdes Gualtero, 27; Edgar Javier Bello Murillo, 26; Hector Leonardo Lopez, 23; Julio Estiven Gracia Ramierez, 30; and Andrés Alvaro Oviedo-Garcia, 21. Each was charged with two counts of second-degree murder, one count of kidnapping and one count of conspiracy to kidnap. Oviedo-Garcia was also charged with two counts of assault. In addition, the grand jury indicted Wilson Daniel Peralta-Bocachica, 30, also a Colombian national, for allegedly trying to destroy evidence associated with the murder.

A Justice Department official declined comment on the question of extraditing the seven to the U.S.”