An armed robbery resulted in the death of Alezka Thalia Manrique Castillo, a 27-year-old Peruvian singer, early Sunday morning in Bagua Grande, Peru. The attack took place on her band’s tour bus following a performance at a local venue.
Known by her stage name Thalia Castillo, she was shot while attempting to hide in the tour bus bathroom. The bus was carrying the members of the Hermanos Guerreros orchestra, the musical group she was part of.
As Ingrid Vallejo, another band member, explained, six armed assailants stopped the vehicle around 5 a.m. while the band was returning from a performance at San Martín de Porres.
“My partner wanted to go into the bus bathroom in her instinct to protect herself and the moment she was there, the shot went off,” Vallejo stated.
The attackers then forced the driver from the bus and physically assaulted other band members. They shot Manrique Castillo in the leg and back before removing her from the vehicle and leaving her in a roadside ditch, while instructing other members of the band to stay down.
The assailants fled with the band’s musical instruments and earnings from their performance. Manrique Castillo died from her injuries while being transported to Santiago Apóstol Hospital.
Jair Enrique Manrique, the deceased singer’s brother, reported to RPP radio that the Peru National Police have identified the assailants and are waiting for arrest warrants.
Walter Ángeles González, owner of the Hermanos Guerrero orchestra, confirmed that the authorities have potentially identified one suspect. However, they are withholding information to avoid any flight risks. This is the first such incident for the band.
Manrique Castillo had joined the band two months before the incident. She was set to complete her business administration degree this month and is survived by her two children, including a nine-year-old son.
“Thalia was a person full of joy, always with a smile,” Vallejo told Radio Exitosa. “Her talent and dedication to music made her special.”
The incident has caused a stir in Peru’s music community, with Grupo 5 expressing their concerns over security in the country through an official statement.
