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Colombian National Pleads Guilty to Killing of US Drug Agent


FILE - A journalist looks at posters detailing the arrest operation of a suspect in the death of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent James "Terry" Watson, in Bogota.
FILE - A journalist looks at posters detailing the arrest operation of a suspect in the death of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent James "Terry" Watson, in Bogota.

The U.S. Department of Justice says a second Colombian national has pleaded guilty to involvement in the killing of U.S. Drug Enforcement Agent James "Terry" Watson during a robbery in Bogota, Colombia last year.

Andres Garcia entered a plea of guilty at a district court in the southeastern state of Virginia. The 22-year-old Garcia, who was extradited to the U.S., was charged with aiding and abetting the murder of an "internationally protected person" and conspiracy to kidnap.

Watson, a 13-year veteran of the DEA, was killed after catching a taxi outside a restaurant in Bogota in June 2013. Police said the taxi was intercepted by another cab a short distance away, and two men pulled Watson out of the car and stabbed him four times.

Six other Colombian nationals were charged with second-degree murder, kidnapping and conspiracy to kidnap. A seventh Colombian was charged with trying to destroy evidence associated with the murder.

Another defendant, 31-year-old Julio Ramirez entered a guilty plea for similar charges earlier this month.

Both men will be sentenced in December.

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