David Macías, a 35-year-old brother of imprisoned drug lord Adolfo Macías, was fatally shot on Sunday in an attack at his rented residence in Olón, a coastal town in Ecuador. According to witness accounts, armed men dressed as police officers entered the property during the early morning hours before departing the scene. No arrests have been reported in connection with the incident.
David Macías held a position as a regional leader within Los Choneros, a major criminal organization that the United States has designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation. The gang has been linked to a significant increase in homicide rates across Ecuador. His older brother, Adolfo Macías—known by the alias “Fito”—previously led the organization before being extradited to the United States last year, where he currently faces trial.
Experts note that targeting of gang leadership figures is a recurring phenomenon in Ecuador’s criminal underworld, occurring both through rival gang violence and internal power struggles. The killing represents additional pressure on Los Choneros following recent law enforcement operations. Last month, another brother, Javier Macías, was apprehended in neighbouring Colombia. Additionally, David Macías had previously been convicted in 2018 on criminal conspiracy charges and was known to have recruited gang members while imprisoned, consolidating organizational control within his detention facility.