by Emilee Gaebler
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America
SANTIAGO, Chile – Chilean judge, Jorge Zepeda has issued an indictment of former US Captain Raymond E. Davis. The indictment calls for the extradition of Davis to be tried by a Chilean court for his involvement in the murders of two American citizens.
In 1973, when the murder s of journalist Charles Horman and student Frank Teruggi occurred, Davis was the lead commander of the United States Military Group in Chile. Both men were murdered in the aftermath of the military coup led by Augusto Pinochet that led to the assassination of socialist President Salvador Allende.
Horman and Teruggi were both supporters of the American Information Source (FIN) which was a left wing group that supported President Allende in the years before the coup. Horman disappeared on 17 September 1973 and his body was found more than a month later. He had been shot multiple times and his body showed signs of torture.
Teruggi was taken from his home in Santiago days after the coup and detained at the National Stadium, what Pinochet used as a detention center after his coup. He was murdered on the 21 or 22 of September 1973 and his body was found in the streets of Santiago.
The media coverage of the two murders seemed to culminate in the award-winning movie “Missing” in 1982. The film promoted Joyce Horman’s allegations that her husband Charles had been murdered due to his inadvertent knowledge of the CIA involvement in the coup.
The film led to a libel lawsuit, brought by a number of government officials outraged at the way in which they were portrayed in the film. The libel lawsuit was eventually dismissed but no answers to the homicides ever emerged.
Then, in 2000, Joyce Horman filed a criminal suit to revive the case. In 2001 the Chilean court asked for testimony from former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger about the role of US intelligence in the case. Judge Zepeda has made use of many declassified US documents in finally bringing about justice in this case.
In his request for extradition, Zepeda describes Davis as being in a position of authority which would have allowed him to stop the murders from occurring but that he chose not to do so due to his coordination efforts with the Chilean army to place Pinochet in power.
Captain Davis has denied any knowledge or role in the murders throughout the years. In an article just released by the Washington Post, his wife Patricia states that Davis is in a nursing home and suffering from advanced Alzheimer’s disease.
The US Embassy in Santiago released a statement that noted they would not comment on specific cases but that the US government supports through investigations into the murders so that those responsible are brought to justice.
For more information, please see:
Merco Press – Chile Requests Extradition of Former US Army Officer Allegedly Involved in the 1973 Killing of two US Citizens – 1 December 2011
The Washington Post National – Wife of Former US Navy Captain Sought for Extradition to Chile Says he has Alzheimer’s – 1 December 2011
The Santiago Times – Chilean Judge Indicts Former US Officer Over Coup Killings – 30 November 2011
BBC News – Chile Seeks Ray Davis Extradition Over 1973 Coup Murder – 29 November 2011
CNN International – Chilean Judge Indicts US Military Official in 1973 Killings – 29 November 2011
USA Today – Chilean Judge Charges Ex-US Military Officer – 28 November 2011
