In a landmark case that has gripped the nation, American John Poulos has been sentenced to 42 years and 8 months in prison for the feminicide of DJ Valentina Trespalacios. The ruling, handed down by the tenth Circuit Penal Judge in Bogotá, also includes charges of evidence concealment.
The sentencing followed a highly publicized trial, which concluded on June 4, 2024. The judge determined that Poulos, 36, was guilty of the heinous murder of Trespalacios, a 23-year-old Colombian DJ, on January 22, 2023. The case attracted significant media attention due to the brutal nature of the crime and how Poulos discarded the body of his girlfriend in a municipal trash dumpster.
Poulos had rented an Airbnb apartment in Bogotá’s north where he killed Trespalacios by strangulation. He then stuffed her body into a suitcase and disposed of it a few blocks away from Bogotá’s El Dorado International Airport. Within hours of the crime, Poulos fled to Panama but was quickly apprehended by authorities and extradited back to Colombia. He has been held in La Picota maximum security prison in Bogotá since his arrest.
During the trial, the prosecution presented a compelling case detailing how Poulos methodically planned and executed the murder. The prosecutor described how Poulos assaulted Trespalacios, leaving visible marks and wounds that indicated a violent struggle rather than an accidental death. The judge dismissed Poulos’ claim that Trespalacios died after choking on an object during consensual sex.
In addition to feminicide, Poulos was convicted of evidence concealment. The prosecution demonstrated that Poulos had gone to great lengths to cover up his crime, including placing the victim’s body in a suitcase and disposing of it in a location far from his where the crime occurred.
The judge emphasized the severity of Poulos’ actions and denied any possibility of conditional suspension of his sentence or house arrest. He also ordered Poulos’ expulsion from Colombia upon completion of his prison term, ensuring that Poulos would be deported immediately after serving his 512 months.
Poulos and Trespalacios’ relationship began in April 2022 after meeting on the dating App Tinder. The romance quickly turned toxic due to Poulos’ controlling and jealous behavior. Trespalacios’ career as a DJ, which required her to work nights in clubs, exacerbated Poulos’ insecurities. The prosecution revealed that Poulos had even hired a private investigator from the United States to follow Trespalacios, suspecting she was in a long-term relationshop with a Colombian boyfriend.
Trespalacios’ mother testified about the volatile nature of the relationship, recounting multiple incidents of jealousy and control. Poulos attempted to manipulate Trespalacios’ younger brother to persuade her not to end their relationship, sending him money and gifts with instructions to convince his sister to stay.
The brutal murder of Valentina Trespalacios sparked widespread outrage in Colombia, highlighting the pervasive issue of feminicide in the country. According to the Colombian Observatory of Feminicides, 525 feminicides were recorded in 2023, with at least 271 cases reported this year. This case has given new impetus for stronger protection measures and support for women facing domestic violence and gender-based crimes.
During the final arguments in the Bogotá courtroom, the prosecutor painted a harrowing picture of Trespalacios’ last moments, describing how she fought for her life against Poulos’ overpowering physicality. The judge’s verdict reflected a stern stance against gender-based violence, with the lengthy prison sentence serving as a message that such crimes will be met with severe consequences.
John Poulos maintained his innocence throughout the trial. Both Poulos and Trespalacios had consumed large quantities of alcohol and drugs at a Bogotá nightclub before their last sexual encounter. During the reading of the closing statements, Poulos told the judge that he was be incapable of harming anyone and that his actions could have been “for his body, but not for his spirit.”
Poulos’ American ex-wife also came forward during the trial, describing him as a controlling and abusive individual. Her testimony added weight to the prosecution’s portrayal of Poulos as a manipulative and violent man.
The Attorney General’s Office concluded with Poulos’ pattern of intimidation, manipulation, and harassment throughout his relationship with Trespalacios, asserting that he ultimately decided when her life would end.
As one of the toughest sentences has been served against Poulos, the murderer of another young Colombian woman remains at large. The brutal killing of 21-year-old Laura Lopera by suspect Canadian Jesse Wiseman could eventually result in his capture by international law enforcement authorities after Interpol issued a Blue Alert for his arrest. The 50-year-old Nova Scotia resident departed Colombia to Central America and is believed to be in Canada. Lopera’s body was found inside a suitcase in Wiseman’s rental apartment in Medellín just days after Wiseman evaded immigration authorities on February 9, 2023. Lopera, a single mother to a 3-year-old girl, went missing on January 31 in the departmental capital of Antioquia.
John Poulos maintains “innocence” in murder case of Bogotá DJ
