Crime: Puerto Rico
Key Facts
- Who. Félix Plaud, a former youth leader of Puerto Rico’s PNP, and lawyer Luis Quiñones González.
- What. Both men were shot dead; police confirmed the two killings are related.
- Where. Plaud in Guayama, the lawyer on Avenida Las Américas in Ponce, Puerto Rico.
- When. Quiñones shot on Friday 23 October 2026; Plaud’s body found at about 1:57 pm.
- Status. As of 23 October 2026, 22:00 GMT
Police in Puerto Rico say the killings of Félix Plaud, a former youth leader of the island’s pro-statehood party, and lawyer Luis Quiñones González are linked. Quiñones was shot dead in Ponce on Friday 23 October 2026, and Plaud’s body was found in Guayama that afternoon.
Puerto Rico is a US territory, and its residents are US citizens. That is why the case matters to readers on the US mainland.
In Plain English
—PNP. The New Progressive Party is Puerto Rico’s pro-statehood party. It wants the island to become a US state.
—Statehood. Puerto Rico is a US territory today. Statehood would make it the 51st state.
—CIC. The Criminal Investigation Corps is a unit of the Puerto Rico Police Bureau. Its Homicide Division investigates killings.
What We Know
Félix Plaud de Choudens was found dead at about 1:57 pm on Friday in a vacant area near a gas station. The spot is in the Borinquen neighbourhood of Guayama, Puerto Rico.
He was found with multiple gunshot wounds, according to El Nuevo Día. A friend who had reported him missing identified him at the scene.
Earlier the same morning, criminal defence lawyer Luis Quiñones González was shot on Avenida Las Américas in Ponce. He was driving his pickup truck at the time, according to Primera Hora and Metro Puerto Rico.
Police have confirmed that the two killings are related. Several police homicide divisions, part of the Criminal Investigation Corps (CIC), are working on the two cases.
Plaud was a former leader of the youth wing of the New Progressive Party (PNP) and a student leader at the University of Puerto Rico. He later worked as a government contractor and businessman, according to Metro Puerto Rico.
Plaud had been reported missing on Friday, with a person close to him saying he had not been seen since the previous night. Police later linked his death to the Ponce shooting.
A man named William Noel Rivera Sánchez posted a Facebook video claiming responsibility for both killings, according to Metro Puerto Rico and Primera Hora. He was later found dead, and Primera Hora reports that he died by suicide at his apartment in Santa Isabel, while El Nuevo Día says police are considering suicide.
In the video, the man who claimed responsibility said he had invested money in medical cannabis dispensaries that never opened. He blamed both victims, but that is only his own claim, and the authorities have not established an official motive.
What Is Not Known
Authorities have not established an official motive. The account in the video remains the claim of one man.
It is not known whether anyone else was involved. Police have not yet given a full account of the sequence of events.
The day and time of Plaud’s death are also unclear. He was found at about 1:57 pm, and the man in the video said he had killed Plaud the day before.
Until investigators say more, every detail should be treated as preliminary. The claim in the video should be read with caution, not as established fact.
What It Means for US Readers
Puerto Rico is a US territory, and its residents are US citizens. The investigation is led by the Puerto Rico Police Bureau.
Plaud’s past role in the PNP, the party that wants Puerto Rico to become a US state, places the case within local politics. No official motive has been given, so that background is context only.
Police have publicly linked the two killings, which makes this a case that touches the legal and political community on the island. We will report new facts from the authorities as they emerge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Félix Plaud?
Félix Plaud de Choudens was a former leader of the youth wing of Puerto Rico’s New Progressive Party. He was also a student leader at the University of Puerto Rico and later a government contractor and businessman.
Are the two killings connected?
Police confirmed that the killing of lawyer Luis Quiñones González in Ponce and that of Félix Plaud in Guayama are related. Quiñones was shot on Friday 23 October 2026, and Plaud was found dead that afternoon.
Has a motive been established?
No. A man who claimed responsibility in a Facebook video said he had invested in cannabis dispensaries that never opened, but that is only his own claim. Authorities have not established an official motive.
Why does this matter to US readers?
Puerto Rico is a US territory, and its residents are US citizens. The case involves a lawyer and a former political youth leader, and Puerto Rico police are investigating.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief
The Rio Times · Power Map
See who really holds power in Latin America
Click to open the Power Map →