Lapostol case: Court orders Luis Araya's girlfriend to be held in custody

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SANTIAGO.- Santiago's Fourth Court of Appeals has issued a unanimous ruling to place Evelyn Cisternas Carriel into preventive custody while she awaits trial. Cisternas Carriel is the girlfriend of Luis Araya Galaz, who is the primary suspect in the murder of María Soledad Lapostol.

With Evelyn Cisternas Carriel present, the court declared a dismissal of the initial decision made by the Fourth Penal Court to release her from custody after Araya's arrest on the night of January 12th of this year.

Cisternas was found with Araya when he was apprehended. According to statements made by Cisternas today, she and her boyfriend had been saying their good-byes because Araya was about to turn himself in to clarify his part in the Lapostol case.

After listening to arguments from Eastern Regional Public Attorney Xavier Armendáriz as well as Defense Attorneys Francisco Cox (Araya) and Paz del Pino (Cisternas), the court decided to place the woman in custody.