Men Disguised as Police Kill Ecuadorian Drug‑Lord's Brother

Sun Sep 06 2026 04:38:46 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Ecuadorian gang boss David Macías was shot dead by men posing as police in a quiet suburban home, leaving authorities scrambling for leads.

In Guayaquil, Ecuador, a 35‑year‑old lieutenant of the Los Choneros drug cartel, David Macías, was killed early Sunday when gunmen cloaked as police entered his rented home in the upscale town of Olón and opened fire. The attackers fled the scene without being identified, and no arrests have been made to date. Macías was a key regional leader within the cartel that has been designated a foreign terrorist organization by the United States, and his brother, notorious figure Adolfo “Fito” Macias, is awaiting trial overseas. The killing follows a string of violence against gang leaders, where rival groups or even rival factions within the same cartel sometimes target high‑rank members. With this loss, Los Choneros loses not only a senior boss but also someone who allegedly had control over inmates while incarcerated, potentially weakening its internal cohesion.

Men Disguised as Police Kill Ecuadorian Drug‑Lord's Brother

A 35‑year‑old key figure in Ecuador’s most powerful drug gang, Los Choneros, was killed on Sunday when gunmen disguised as police entered his rented home in the upscale coastal town of Olón and opened fire.

The victims, identified as David Macías, the brother of notorious cartel boss Adolfo “Fito” Macias, were shot while the attackers fled the scene. No arrests have yet been made.

David Macías had been described by police as a regional leader of Los Choneros, a gang once headed by his brother who was extradited to the United States last year and is awaiting trial on drug‑trafficking charges.

The U.S. government has classified Los Choneros as a foreign terrorist organization, framing it among the groups blamed for Ecuador’s rising murder rate.

Officials reported the shooting took place in the early hours of Sunday local time, with the gunmen reportedly dressed to look like law‑enforcement officers. Witnesses noted the attackers had balaclavas on and were armed, but the homeowners’ security measures held them back.

The episode underscores a broader pattern of violence where gang leaders are targeted either by rival criminal groups or through internal power struggles within the same cartel.

In a separate case last month, a local gang leader was shot dead by two teenage gunmen as he left the international airport in Guayaquil, where the attackers concealed weapons behind toys and flowers to avoid suspicion.

David Macías had previously pleaded guilty back in 2018 on charges of criminal conspiracy, and during his time in prison he reportedly recruited inmates for the cartel and cemented the gang’s influence within the penitentiary.

This killing represents the latest blow to Los Choneros, following the 2024 arrest of Adolfo Macías and the capture of another brother, Javier, in neighbouring Colombia last month.