Chile Confirms Fugitive Hitman’s Identity, Issues New International Arrest Warrant

Chilean authorities on Friday clarified the identity of a Venezuelan contract killer who was mistakenly freed from custody last month, confirming that the fugitive previously known as “Osmar Ferrer” is in fact Alberto Carlos Mejía Hernández. The Public Prosecutor’s Office and national police forces requested a new detention order and asked Interpol to circulate an international red notice after resolving confusion over the order of the suspect’s given names. Mejía Hernández, 18, had been jailed on charges of murdering businessman José Reyes in Ñuñoa but was released after a clerical error transposed letters in his alias on court documents. Carabineros and the Police of Investigations initially provided differing versions of his real name—one listing him as Carlos Alberto, the other as Alberto Carlos—before Security Minister Luis Cordero confirmed the latter spelling as the official record. Prosecutors said the misidentification delayed the manhunt and prompted a review of how personal data are recorded in criminal proceedings. An expanded search is now under way in Chile and abroad, with authorities warning the public not to approach the suspect and urging anyone with information to contact police immediately.