Puerto Aventuras femicide case overturned, killer freed

Puerto Aventuras, Quintana Roo — The Ninth Specialized Criminal Court of Quintana Roo has acquitted and ordered the immediate release of Carlos Alberto “N,” who had been sentenced for the femicide of Ana Gómez in 2020 near the Hard Rock Hotel in Puerto Aventuras.

Overturned Conviction Sparks Controversy

Last year, the Quintana Roo Attorney General’s Office (FGE) announced a guilty verdict against Carlos Alberto “N,” a security guard at the hotel, located south of Playa del Carmen in what is now the municipality of Puerto Aventuras. The crime had prompted fierce protests from feminist groups.

Following his arrest in 2020, prosecutors secured a 25-year prison sentence in April 2024 from the Playa del Carmen Oral Trial Court. However, the defense appealed the ruling. The Ninth Specialized Criminal Court reviewed the case under criminal appeal file 76/2025, linked to case file 42/2022 for the charge of femicide.

The court ultimately revoked the conviction, citing insufficient evidence in the investigation file compiled by the Attorney General’s Office. Sources confirmed that no conclusive elements substantiated the crime.

Case Background

Carlos Alberto “N” had been imprisoned in a federal facility in Coahuila, where he was released following the court’s decision.

The crime occurred on December 18, 2020. Ana Gómez, who had recently begun working at the hotel as a kitchen cleaning assistant, was reported missing that day. Her body was discovered on December 28 near the hotel.

Former Attorney General Óscar Montes de Oca later confirmed the arrest of Carlos Alberto “N,” who was formally charged. Three years after the crime, he was convicted—a ruling now rendered void.

As of now, no appeals have been filed against the acquittal through direct amparo proceedings in any federal circuit court.