Authorities say two men suspected of drugging and killing an American Airlines flight attendant while he was on a Colombia layover have been arrested months after the deadly incident, with investigators linking the pair to an alleged criminal network known for targeting foreign visitors.
Andrés Felipe Peña Corrales, 23, and William Olave Gamboa, 31, were detained in Peru in connection with the March death of 32-year-old Eric Fernando Gutierrez Molina, a Dallas-based flight attendant whose disappearance in Medellín prompted an international search effort.
Peña Corrales has been sent back to Colombia to face prosecution, while Olave Gamboa remains held in Peru as extradition proceedings move forward. Colombian officials said both suspects are accused of aggravated homicide and aggravated robbery, among other charges.
Two suspects arrested in Peru are shown in police custody after officials accused them in the killing of American Airlines flight attendant Eric Fernando Gutierrez Molina. (U.S. Embassy Bogota)
A third person, 24-year-old María del Carmen González, was taken into custody in a separate arrest in Montería, Colombia. Investigators claim she did not directly take part in Gutierrez Molina’s death but helped withdraw and transfer money stolen from foreign victims as part of the alleged scheme.
Colombian police have identified the three suspects as alleged members of Los Goteros, a criminal group accused of using dating apps to approach tourists, build trust, drug them, and then steal cash, jewelry and other valuables.
Citing investigators, El Colombiano reported that Gutierrez Molina is believed to have been contacted through a dating application before he met multiple people at a nightclub in Medellín’s popular El Poblado district.
The group later went to a hotel, where Gutierrez Molina and a coworker were allegedly drugged, according to the outlet. Their possessions were then stolen, and their financial accounts were reportedly accessed.
The outlet also reported that scopolamine, sometimes called “Devil’s Breath” or “Dragon’s Breath,” may have been used to incapacitate the victims, though authorities have not publicly confirmed toxicology findings in the case.
Gutierrez Molina was reportedly strangled, while his coworker survived.
Investigators allege the group accessed Gutierrez Molina’s bank accounts, stole other valuables and abandoned his body near Jericó, southwest of Medellín, where it was found five days later.
The arrests capped a months-long international investigation involving U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, Colombian prosecutors and Peruvian authorities.
“This successful outcome reflects the strong commitment of the United States, Colombia and Peru to work together to investigate and bring to justice a group of criminals in Colombia dedicated to the robbery and theft of U.S. citizens and ensure the safety of international travelers in the region,” the U.S. Embassy in Colombia said in a joint statement.
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The embassy also recognized the Mayor’s Office of Medellín, Colombia’s National Police and Peru’s National Police for their roles in the investigation.
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Authorities say American Airlines flight attendant Eric Fernando Gutierrez Molina was drugged, robbed and killed after an overnight layover in Medellín, Colombia, in March 2026. (Edinson Arroyo/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Gutierrez Molina disappeared in March while on an overnight layover in Medellín before he was scheduled to continue to Miami.
Friends told local media at the time that he shared his location from an Airbnb near José María Córdova International Airport before communication suddenly stopped, prompting coworkers and family members to report him missing.
Days later, Medellín Mayor Federico Gutiérrez announced that authorities had recovered a body near Jericó. The remains were later identified as Gutierrez Molina.
Eric Fernando Gutierrez Molina, a 32-year-old flight attendant from Dallas, was reported missing in Colombia after he arrived on Saturday, March 21, according to reports. (CDColExt/X)
“We are heartbroken by the tragic passing of our colleague,” American Airlines said in a statement previously provided to News Outlet.
“Our thoughts and support are with his family, loved ones and colleagues during this difficult time, and we are doing all we can to assist Colombian law enforcement in its investigation.”
Authorities said investigators are working to determine whether additional foreign tourists were victimized by Los Goteros using the same alleged scheme.
