Elderly Man Found Dead on Maya Train Tracks Sparks Homicide Probe

Investigation Shifts from Accident to Homicide

The discovery of a man’s body on the Maya Train tracks, in the section between the Poxilá commissariat in the municipality of Umán and Chocholá, has taken a 180-degree turn from an incident initially reported as a railway accident.

The victim was identified as Álvaro Peña Quintal, an 86-year-old retired merchant and well-known resident of Chocholá.

The elderly man had been reported missing by his family on Wednesday, December 17.

His body was located during the early hours of the following day on the railway line, which initially led to the assumption that it was an accidental collision by the Maya Train convoy.

However, as the initial proceedings progressed, the case changed direction.

Testimonies gathered by authorities indicate that Mr. Peña Quintal was allegedly approached against his will by a man and a woman, who reportedly robbed him of the money he was carrying and assaulted him.

According to these accounts, he was subsequently taken to an area near the boundaries of the Maya Train, in the San Antonio area, where the aggressors allegedly cut the security fence and dragged the elderly man to the railway tracks, leaving him in the path of the train with the intention of simulating an accident.

The body was run over during the locomotive’s nighttime journey, an event initially classified as a railway accident.

Nevertheless, after his identity was confirmed on Thursday, December 18, authorities opened a line of investigation for intentional homicide.

The case file was assigned to the specialized homicide unit, while the State Attorney General’s Office reported that the legal autopsy will determine the precise cause of death and the exact moment it occurred.

As of the close of this edition, no arrests have been reported, although proceedings continue to locate the couple mentioned in the testimonies.

Don Álvaro Peña Quintal was a respected resident of Chocholá. In his youth, he stood out as a baseball player and later dedicated himself to commerce.

His death has caused consternation among the inhabitants of the municipality, where his family is known for their trajectory in sports, commerce, and various professions.

The case once again brings to light the vulnerability of the elderly and the need to reinforce surveillance mechanisms around the Maya Train railway infrastructure. Although there are fences and security protocols, the events reveal possible weak points in the protection of the tracks.

State authorities have called on the population to avoid spreading rumors and allow the investigation to follow its course in accordance with the law.

The community of Chocholá remains awaiting clarification of the facts and justice.

Preliminarily, the possibility that the motive was a violent robbery is being investigated.

However, it will not be until the conclusion of the expert reports and the progress of the investigation that this hypothesis is officially confirmed.

The investigation remains open and will be decisive not only to determine responsibilities but also to evaluate security conditions along the Maya Train route and the institutional response to high-impact events.