Three young women's throats slit after going missing on beach trip

Local fishermen and a dog have stumbled upon the bodies of three young women who went missing on a beach trip.

Three young women were killed and buried on the banks of the Esmeraldas River in Ecuador. Picture: Newsflash/australscope

Warning: Disturbing content

Three young women who went missing on a beach trip in Ecuador have horrifically been found buried in a shallow grave with their throats slit.

Local fishermen had noticed a dog sniffing around an area alongside the Esmeraldas River near Quininde last week and smelt something foul, leading to the discovery of the bodies.

The women were identified as model Nayeli Tapia, 22, singing student Yuliana Macias, 21, and agricultural engineering student Denisse Reyna, 19.

Nayeli Tapia, (right) Denisse Reyna (centre) and Yuliana Macias (left) were tortured and had their throats slit. Picture: Newsflash/australscope

Local media reported their three bodies were tied up and their mouths were covered. There were also signs they had been tortured.

“They were young, had beach clothes, bathing suits, light clothing, shorts,” Diego Velastegui of the Quininde Police told local media.

The three women were reported to have left their homes in Santo Domingo de los Tsachilas to go to the beach on April 4 and their families reported them missing later that day.

The women were found dead in a shallow grave. Picture: Newsflash/australscope

Initial investigations were said to suggest they were killed in Malimpia, a rural area outside the town of Quininde, the following day and were then taken to the place they were buried.

They lived about 84 kilometres away from where they were found dead on April 7.

Police also found a mobile phone, which is hoped to assist finding out what happened as authorities continue to search for the killer or killers.

Denisse Reyna, the youngest of the three women killed. Picture: Newsflash/australscope

The women left their homes to go to the beach and were reported missing later that day. Picture: Newsflash/australscope

Ms Macias’ aunt Paulina Rueda said the family wanted justice.

“All we want is justice, and if the public knows, they should report who is responsible for this horrible femicide, because it’s three femicides in one day,” she said, according to local media.

She claimed the family had received death threats for demanding justice and pleaded with the public to not link the young women’s deaths to drug trafficking.

Esmeraldas province, where they were believed to be killed and then buried, has been under a state of emergency since March 3 due to high levels of crime and violence, with a turf war between rival drug trafficking gangs.

– with Newsflash

Surge in gang violence

Ecuador is located between Colombia and Peru, the world’s two largest producers of cocaine, much of which is sent to the United States and Europe from Ecuadorean ports, principally Guayaquil.

Consequently, Ecuador has seen a recent rise in violence and murders related to drug trafficking.

Its murder rate almost doubled from 14 per 100,000 citizens in 2021 to 25 a year later.

In 2021, Ecuador seized a record 210 tons of drugs, mainly cocaine.

Last year, another 200 tons of drugs were seized, leading to the government declaring a war on traffickers.

Guayaquil is one of the cities most affected by the surge in violence, as are prisons.

Since February 2021, there have been eight prison massacres in which more than 400 inmates have been killed, many dismembered or torched.

Gangs that vie for control of the lucrative trafficking trade have often controlled operations from within the prison system.

But it is also the scene of bloody battles between rival gangs.

– AFP