Who Killed Carmen Paredes?

Disclaimers first: I came to this story late. I only got curious about it when I saw the photo clip of Senior Federal Judge Salvador Casellas observing the paramedics loading his daughter-in-law’s corpse into the ambulance.

First question—what was he doing there?

Well, the cops let him in.

Into a crime scene?

Second question—how did the daughter-in-law die?

What version do you want?

According to the son of the judge, Pablo Casellas, it all started with a carjacking near a shooting range. Pablo has a nice little collection of guns, and was off on Father’s Day to do a little practice. Only problem was that the range was closed.

OK, he reports the crime, and the missing guns. Then a couple weeks later, on the 14^th of July, Pablo goes to visit his father, the judge. Comes home at 9:40 in the morning, sees an intruder leaping from the roof of his garage, goes to get his gun, comes back and shoots, to no avail. Then discovers his wife dead by the side of the pool.

Well, the New Day (El Nuevo Día—our local rag) is now painting a different picture. According to the Day, the evidence is piling up against Pablo. The police noted signs even in their initial investigation that the victim, Carmen Paredes, had been shot earlier than 9:40, as Pablo said. Neighbors allege that they heard shots earlier, at 8:30 or so. There is evidence that Paredes was killed in a different part of the house, and that the scene had been cleaned. Pablo is filmed leaving his closed neighborhood at 9:14, not 8:30 as he stated. There are blood stains in Pablo’s BMW and on his clothes, both of which were confiscated from…

…the judge’s house.

Just a second….

Had to read that last long paragraph again. Why? Well, it beggars belief. And you know, the questions in my mind multiply.

First, what kind of guy goes running to his father after he murders his wife? What in God’s name must their relation be? And not for the first time I begin to appreciate Jack, my father. Why? Because the first thing he would have done, had I come fleeing home with blood on my hands?

Call the cops!

Second question? What kind of cop allows Daddy—even or perhaps especially if he is a federal judge—into a crime scene?

Third question—where’s the press? Go to Google, as I did. Type in Salvador Casellas. And you’ll get, yes, information in Spanish about these goings-on. Fine! In English? Not in the first five pages, which I scrolled through in disgust.

Fourth question—is this where Puerto Rico has come to? That almost a month after a woman was killed, her husband still has not been charged?

Oh, and the question I DON’T have?

Who killed Carmen Paredes?