On 1 July, 2020, journalist Germán Gerardo Vallecillo and cameraman Jorge Posas were shot dead in La Ceiba, Honduras.

Both men worked for local TV channel 45TV and were driving through the centre of the city when two gunmen opened fire and riddled the car with bullets. Both men died on the spot.

Based on footage from security cameras in the area it appears that the gunmen were lying in wait at the end of a street waiting for Vallecillo and Posas to pass. The two killers were seen running away after the attack.

It was Germán Gerardo’s birthday and he was on his way to have a celebratory lunch with his father when he was killed.

In his most recent articles Vallecillo had been writing about COVID-19 and murders committed in La Ceiba. He had recently announced his intention to run for mayor as an independent candidate.

At the time of writing 5 suspects had been arrested and one person had been charged and taken into preventive custody. The suspects are known to the police for their involvement in drug dealing and it is suspected that Vallecillo was the target because of articles he had written about the drug trade.

Between 2001 and 2020, 84 social commentators and journalists have been murdered in Honduras. 90+% of these cases remain in impunity.