True Crime Friday: Juan Fernando Hermosa Suárez, Child of Terror Serial Killer

Juan Fernando Hermosa was born February 8, 1976, in Ecuador, he was known as the Child Terror Serial Killer because he was the youngest serial killer in the history of Ecuador. He was adopted by Olivo Hermosa Fonseca and Zoila Amada Suárez Mejía. Before he was adopted, he lived in a poverty-stricken neighborhood. Juan began to resent his adoptive parents, especially his deaf mother who also suffered from arthritis. Juan’s father travelled around the Sucumbíos Province, where he owned properties. The couple provided for Juan, lifted him out of poverty but he resented them which would lead to crimes. He murdered at least twenty-three people. The gang mostly operated on the weekends, which terrified taxi drivers and the public at large.

The Early Childhood of Juan Fernando Hermosa

At the age of fifteen Juan Fernando Hermosa began his life of crime. He recruited other wayward youths to assist with robbing videogame shops in the area. He and his gang would also frequent bars and clubs to drink alcohol and to get high on illegal drugs. Before he began his life of crime, his teachers and other adults said he was very intelligent. He was known as a kind and respectful youth. On November 22, 1991, Juan and his gang left a club and took a taxi to Agosto Avenue. It was at this point that Juan pulled out a gun and shot the taxi driver in the head killing him instantly. He killed his hairdresser five days later by shooting her five times.

The Victims of Juan Fernando Hermosa

• 8 Taxi Drivers
• 11 LGBTQ
• Olivo Hermosa Fonseca, his mother

Because some countries do not publish their victims’ names, I have limited information on the victims and their circumstances. The police were able to find Juan through a criminal friend of his who gave him up to shorten his own time in prison. The operation to catch Juan Fernando Hermosa began on January 16, 1991. At 3:00am police began to circle the Hermosa home to capture the teenager. Juan was one step ahead; he began to shoot at the police, prompting them to fire back. He was trying to escape leaving his deaf mother to be shot to death by the authorities. Olivo was shot eleven times by police. Juan was captured after his mother was killed with hardly a scratch on him. He was captured at the back window of his home trying to escape.

Even though he murdered at least twenty-three people, because of his youth he was only sentenced to four years in prison, which was a juvenile detention center. During his time in prison, he staged a prison break. He became a leader while in prison and was treated like a king by the other prisoners. Juan carried out a prison break. Somehow, he got a pistol and held it on several guards as ten of his followers left with him. He fled to Columbia but was recaptured a short time later.

Juan was released to his father in January of 1996. The police kept an eye on Juan but once he was out, he settled down and did not commit any serious crime.

Lady Justice

Juan Fernando Hermosa was celebrating his birthday on February 28, 1996. He had just turned twenty years old. He was found dead on his birthday by a river. His body had been mutilated beyond recognition. He had bullet holes, knife wounds and marks of being beaten up on his body. His hands had been bounded. The identity of the person or persons who killed Juan has not been revealed, but there is a theory that it was probably revenge for the families of the victims who were killed by him. Since the police had been following him, they may know who murdered him. Or maybe the police had something to do with the murder. Unfortunately, we will never know who killed Juan, Frankly, the public probably does not care. On the other had his father may miss his son but probably could not speak up because of fear. To this day Juan is the most well-known and hated killer in Ecuador.

Reference

• NamuWiki - Juan Fernando Hermosa
• Ecuador's Youngest Serial Killer
• Juan Fernando Hermosa - Wikipedia