Supervisor de seguridad found guilty of negligent homicide in Moca hospital death
Luis A. Vélez Torres was convicted in connection with the 2022 death of patient Noel Méndez Gómez, 65, after a physical intervention over smoking in his hospital room.
The short version
- NotiCel reported that Luis Vélez Torres was found guilty of negligent homicide by Judge Miguel Vargas Ramírez in Aguadilla court
- Metro Puerto Rico reports the incident occurred on Sept. 12 2022 when Vélez Torres restrained Méndez Gómez for smoking leading to a fatal heart attack
- El Nuevo Día reported the autopsy by the Instituto de Ciencias Forenses ruled the death a homicide caused by physical and emotional tension
- All outlets state sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 7 according to the Department of Justice
Conviction in Aguadilla
Luis A. Vélez Torres, a former hospital security supervisor in Moca, was found guilty of negligent homicide in the death of 65-year-old patient Noel Méndez Gómez. The verdict was issued by Judge Miguel Vargas Ramírez of the Tribunal de Primera Instancia de Aguadilla. NotiCel reported the conviction followed a bench trial.
According to the Department of Justice, the events took place on Sept. 12 2022. Nursing staff asked Vélez Torres to instruct the patient about the no-smoking rule. When Méndez Gómez refused to hand over his cigarettes, the supervisor searched his belongings, grabbed him by both arms, pushed him against the bed and prevented him from moving. Two nursing supervisors witnessed the incident and intervened. Metro Puerto Rico reported.
What the sources posted
Posts and statements below are the sources' own words, quoted as published. They are not independently verified.
la fiscal Sigrid Nazario del Toro, de la Fiscalía de Aguadilla, presentó la prueba que permitió demostrar la responsabilidad del acusado más allá de duda razonable, en violación al Artículo 96 del Código Penal de Puerto Rico.
Our translation: the prosecutor Sigrid Nazario del Toro, from the Aguadilla Prosecutor's Office, presented the evidence that allowed proving the defendant's responsibility beyond reasonable doubt, in violation of Article 96 of the Puerto Rico Penal Code.
The source's own statement, as quoted by Metro Puerto Rico. Not verified by PuertoRico.com.
Medical outcome and autopsy
Méndez Gómez collapsed afterward and was pronounced dead. The Instituto de Ciencias Forenses autopsy determined the manner of death was homicide, concluding that the physical and emotional stress from the confrontation triggered a heart attack. El Nuevo Día reported that the judge reviewed witness testimony before issuing the guilty verdict.
Fiscal Sigrid Nazario del Toro of the Aguadilla prosecutor's office presented the evidence. The Department of Justice noted the case was investigated by agent Juan López Rivera of the Aguadilla Homicide Division. Sentencing was scheduled for Dec. 7. Primera Hora reported.
Where the sources differ
All four sources agree on the defendant's name (with minor spelling variations such as Luis Vélez Torres, Luis A. Vélez Torres, Luis A. Vélez Pérez), the victim's name and age, the Sept. 12 2022 date of the incident, the sequence of events, the autopsy conclusion by the Instituto de Ciencias Forenses, the judge's name (with slight variations), the prosecutor, the negligent-homicide charge, and the Dec. 7 sentencing date. NotiCel, Metro and Primera Hora attribute the investigation to agent Juan López Rivera while El Nuevo Día does not mention the investigator. Slight discrepancies exist in the defendant's middle initial and surname spelling across outlets.
What the reports do not say
The reports do not state the exact date the verdict was delivered in court, the name of the hospital in Moca, whether the defendant remains free or in custody pending sentencing, the length of the possible sentence, or any comment from the defendant's legal representation or the victim's family.
Sources
Every link below was opened and checked when this story was published. Official means a government body, agency or the organization itself; Reporting means a news outlet.
- Official Hallan culpable a supervisor de seguridad por muerte de paciente en hospital de Moca
- Reporting Supervisor de seguridad de hospital en Moca es declarado culpable de homicidio negligente contra paciente
- Reporting Hallan culpable a supervisor de seguridad por muerte de paciente en hospital de Moca
- Reporting Juez encuentra culpable a supervisor de seguridad por la muerte de un hombre en hospital de Moca
- Reporting Hallan culpable a supervisor de seguridad por muerte de paciente en hospital de Moca
How we checked this
NotiCel, Metro Puerto Rico, El Nuevo Día and Primera Hora all reported the conviction and supporting details drawn from the Department of Justice. The Dec. 7 sentencing date rests on statements from the Department of Justice cited by all four outlets while the precise autopsy language is attributed to the Instituto de Ciencias Forenses through the same official channel.
Compiled by the PuertoRico.com News Desk from the reports and statements listed above, and checked against them before publishing. It does not include original interviews. Spot an error? Email support@puertorico.com with a link to this story.