Case of slain Puerto Rican boxer ‘Macho’ Camacho crumbles

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — A judge on Friday dismissed a case against five suspects charged in the 2012 killing of renowned Puerto Rican boxer Héctor “Macho” Camacho after authorities said the star witness fled the island.

Prosecutors requested a second opportunity to have their case heard, adding that they have contacted authorities in Florida for help since they believe the witness is now there.

The ruling comes three months after Puerto Rico’s Justice Department announced the accusations against the five suspects with great fanfare since it marked the first time anyone was charged in nearly a decade since the killing. Officials at the time said two other suspects were killed in unrelated events.

Camacho, 50, was shot in the face in November 2012 while he and a friend sat in a Ford Mustang outside a bar. He was clinically brain dead but remained on life support for several days as relatives debated what to do.