Dominican Man Receives 30-Year Sentence for Second Family Murder

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic – José Luis Peñalva was sentenced to 30 years in prison for the 2013 murder of Gladys Ricart, a woman he had previously murdered her mother two decades earlier. Ricart, a devout Catholic, had notably forgiven Peñalva for the initial crime and even offered him employment as a handyman at her family's property. The tragic sequence of events has drawn international attention to the Dominican Republic.

Peñalva's criminal history with the family dates back to 1993, when he was convicted of killing Ricart's mother, Gladys Ricart de Peña. He served 10 years of a 20-year sentence before being controversially released from prison due to a judicial ruling. This early release set the stage for the subsequent tragedy that unfolded years later.

Following his release, Gladys Ricart extended an extraordinary act of forgiveness to Peñalva, driven by her deep religious faith. She aimed to help him reintegrate into society by offering him a job at her home, which was the same location where her mother had been killed. This compassionate gesture was intended to provide Peñalva with a fresh start.

In February 2013, Ricart, 41, was discovered dead in her Santo Domingo home, having been strangled. Police investigations quickly focused on Peñalva, 56, who was apprehended shortly after the discovery of her body. While the exact motive for the second murder remained unclear, initial suspicions pointed towards robbery.

The court ultimately found Peñalva guilty of Ricart's murder, resulting in his 30-year prison sentence. This marked his second conviction for murder, with both victims stemming from the same family, underscoring a profound and tragic betrayal of trust. The case highlights the complex interplay of forgiveness, justice, and the devastating consequences of repeated violence.