Chilean 'cult leader' Ramon Castillo found dead in Peru
America
By
-BBC
| May 04, 2013
Police in Peru say they have found the body of the alleged leader of a Chilean cult accused of burning a newborn baby alive last November.
Ramon Castillo Gaete, 35, had been on the run for more than two months. Police believe he killed himself.
His body was found in a house in the Peruvian city of Cusco and identified from fingerprints.
The baby girl was thrown into a bonfire because the sect reportedly considered her an antichrist.
The baby's mother, Natalia Guerra, and three other suspects were arrested in Chile last week.
READ MORE
Gachagua defends budget request to renovate homes, office, and buy new cars
Rugby Africa Women's Cup: Poor Kenya Lionesses fail to hunt against South Africa Springboks
CS Murkomen names and shames owner of car in a viral video
Wetang'ula says revenue sharing formula stalemate to impact budget
Government set to spend Sh1.6 billion to renovate State Houses and lodges
Budget policy statement offers no reprieve after raid on our pockets
Azimio warns of more tax, rejects budget policy
Court orders Moi University to pay contractor Sh185 million
Harambee Stars must prove their worth in 2024
A first in 100 years: Ukraine to celebrate Christmas, December 25
'Apocalypse'
Mr Castillo was thought to be the baby's father. He is accused of persuading Ms Guerra to give up the baby for sacrifice in the town of Colliguay, in Chile's Valparaiso region.
He believed he was a god and expected the world to end on 21 December 2012, Chilean authorities said.
The death of the three-day-old baby last November shocked Chile, a predominantly Roman Catholic country.
Peruvian police said Castillo's body was found with a rope around his neck hanging from a beam inside a house on the outskirts of Cusco.
"There is no evidence of anyone else taking part in his death," Cusco police chief Juvenal Zereceda told Chile's La Tercera Newspaper.
"All the preliminary evidence indicates this was a case of suicide," Mr Zereceda added.
-BBC