Military officer, convicted of killing Guatemalan bishop, dies in prison riot
July 20, 2016
A former Guatemalan military officer who was convicted in 2001 of killing a Catholic bishop has himself been killed in a prison riot.
Byron Lima, a former army captain, was found guilty of the 1998 murder of Bishop Juan José Gerardi. The bishop was slain shortly after releasing a report in which he said that the Guatemalan military was responsible for most of the civilian casualties during the country's long, bloody civil war.
Lima died, along with 12 other people, during a prison riot on July 18. No other details about the violence were available.
Lima had reportedly become a kingpin inside the Guatemalan prison, bribing guards and taking protection money from other prisoners. In 2013 he was caught driving a military vehicle outside the prison, accompanied by two friendly guards.
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Further information:
- Ex-soldier who killed Guatemalan bishop dies in prison riot (AP)
- Guatemalan military officer, convicted of bishop's killing, found running prison crime ring (CWN, 9/23/14)
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