On March 10, 2023, Victor Varela-Rodriguez, aged 31, was found dead in Akron, Ohio, alongside two other victims, Inmer Reyes and Domingo Castillo-Reyes. The bodies were discovered bound and gagged, indicating a brutal and premeditated crime. The police received reports of the first body near Wright Road in Copley, with additional victims located shortly thereafter in Akron. All three men were originally from Youngstown.
The investigation into their deaths led to the arrest of Elias Gudino, a 58-year-old man from Copley. He was indicted on multiple charges, including six counts of aggravated murder and four counts of kidnapping. Gudino's arrest was facilitated by a fourth victim who managed to survive the ordeal by pretending to be dead during the attack. This individual reported that he and the three deceased men had been abducted from Youngstown and brought to the Akron area, where they were subsequently killed.
The surviving victim's testimony was crucial for law enforcement, as he provided detailed accounts of the events leading up to the murders. He described how he was kidnapped along with Varela-Rodriguez and the others, and how he narrowly escaped death by playing dead until his captors left the scene. This account prompted police to investigate further and ultimately led them to Gudino.
Authorities believe there may be additional suspects involved in this case, although no further arrests have been made as of now. The investigation remains active as law enforcement continues to pursue leads related to this tragic incident.
