I had to get that man out before he killed her
En la tarde del 18 de octubre, una vivienda en el condado de Prince William, Virginia, se convirtió en el escenario de una tragedia que truncó cuatro vidas: las de una familia peruana y un inquilino que compartía el hogar. El sospechoso, David Maine, de 24 años, era conocido de la familia y vivía con ellos, y según los allegados, había proferido amenazas antes de que ocurriera lo irreparable. Su detención sin fianza y los cargos que enfrenta no devuelven lo perdido, pero sí recuerdan que el peligro más cercano a veces habita bajo el mismo techo.
- Una familia peruana que ya temía por su seguridad fue hallada muerta en su propia casa junto a uno de sus inquilinos, con señales de que el peligro había estado presente durante días.
- El sospechoso, quien vivía en el hogar tras una ruptura sentimental con el hijo de la familia, se negó a abandonar la vivienda y su comportamiento se volvió cada vez más amenazante.
- La cuñada de la víctima reveló que Kelly Victoria Sotelo le había confesado a su hermana que necesitaba sacar a ese hombre de la casa antes de que fuera demasiado tarde.
- Maine llamó al 911 él mismo para reportar el tiroteo; la policía encontró el arma en la propiedad y determinó que no había riesgo para la comunidad.
- Detenido sin fianza y enfrentando cuatro cargos de asesinato y dos por uso de armas de fuego, Maine —sin antecedentes penales— aguarda un proceso judicial que el jefe de policía espera concluya con una condena definitiva.
El 18 de octubre por la tarde, la casa ubicada en el 5200 de Mansfield Court, en el condado de Prince William, Virginia, se convirtió en escena del crimen. Dentro fueron hallados sin vida Miguel Durán Flores, de 44 años; su esposa Kelly Victoria Sotelo, de 42; su hija Karrie Ayline Sotelo, de 19; y Richard Julio Jesús Revollar Corrales, de 36, inquilino que rentaba el sótano. Tres de ellos murieron por heridas de bala; la causa de muerte del cuarto aún estaba siendo determinada.
El arrestado fue David Maine, de 24 años, quien también vivía en la casa. Había llegado como pareja del hijo adulto de los Durán y se quedó como inquilino tras el fin de esa relación. Fue él mismo quien llamó al 911 para reportar el tiroteo. En menos de dos días quedó detenido sin fianza, enfrentando cuatro cargos de asesinato y dos por uso de armas de fuego en la comisión de un delito.
Lo que perturbó a quienes conocían a la familia fue que Maine no tenía antecedentes penales. Sin embargo, las señales de alarma existían. Tabata Durán, hermana de Miguel, relató que Kelly Victoria le había confesado a su cuñada que quería sacar a Maine de la casa, que él se negaba a irse y que su comportamiento se había vuelto amenazante. "Sé que hubo una amenaza", dijo Tabata. "Mi cuñada le dijo a mi hermana que tenía que sacar a ese hombre antes de que la matara."
El jefe de policía Peter Newsham reconoció el peso emocional que enfrentaron sus oficiales al ingresar a la vivienda, y no ocultó su postura sobre el sospechoso: "Mi esperanza es que nunca vea la luz del día de nuevo." Dos de los hijos de la familia y otro inquilino no estaban en casa al momento del ataque y sobrevivieron. Los cuerpos fueron encontrados en distintas habitaciones, y la investigación clasificó el hecho como un conflicto doméstico que escaló hasta convertirse en un cuádruple homicidio.
On the afternoon of October 18, a house in Prince William County, Virginia became a crime scene. Inside the residence at 5200 Mansfield Court, four people lay dead: Miguel Durán Flores, 44; his wife Kelly Victoria Sotelo, 42; their daughter Karrie Ayline Sotelo, 19; and Richard Julio Jesús Revollar Corrales, 36, a tenant who rented the basement. Three of them had been shot. The cause of death for the fourth victim was still being determined as police worked through the scene.
The man arrested at the house was David Maine, 24 years old. He had lived there too—initially as the romantic partner of the Duráns' adult son, then as a tenant after that relationship ended. Maine called 911 himself to report the shooting. Police found what they believed to be the murder weapon on the property and determined the incident posed no ongoing threat to the neighborhood. Within two days, Maine was in custody at the Prince William County jail, held without bail on four counts of murder and two counts of using a firearm in the commission of a felony.
What made the case unusual was that Maine had no prior criminal record. Nothing in his history suggested he would commit such violence. Yet those closest to the family had seen warning signs. Tabata Durán, the sister of Miguel, told reporters that Kelly Victoria Sotelo had confided in her sister-in-law in the days before the shooting. Kelly was afraid. She wanted David Maine out of the house. He refused to leave, and his behavior had become threatening. "I know there was a threat," Tabata said. "My sister-in-law told my sister that she had to get that man out before he killed her."
The police investigation classified the killings as domestic in nature—a private conflict that turned lethal. Peter Newsham, the Prince William County police chief, spoke to reporters about the weight of what his officers had encountered. "Police officers are human beings," he said. "Walking into a home like that and seeing someone dead from gunshot wounds is traumatic. But they do it all the time. I take my hat off to them for being able to deal with that trauma and then detain a suspect." Newsham added a personal note about Maine's detention: "My hope is that he never sees the light of day again."
The Durán family was Peruvian. One of their sons and their daughter had not been home when the shooting occurred. Another tenant who lived in the house also survived. The bodies were found in different rooms throughout the residence. Police cordoned off the block and began the methodical work of understanding how a domestic dispute had escalated into a quadruple homicide—and why a man with no violent past had allegedly decided to end four lives.
Citas Notables
Police officers are human beings. Walking into a home like that and seeing someone dead from gunshot wounds is traumatic. But they do it all the time.— Peter Newsham, Prince William County police chief
I know there was a threat. My sister-in-law told my sister that she had to get that man out before he killed her.— Tabata Durán, sister of victim Miguel Durán
La Conversación del Hearth Otra perspectiva de la historia
Why did Maine call 911 himself if he was the one who did this?
That's one of the details that makes this case so difficult to parse. Sometimes people in acute psychological crisis do things that seem contradictory. He was there, he knew what had happened, and he reported it. Whether that was panic, a break from reality, or something else—that's for investigators to determine.
The family knew him. He was connected to their son. How does that relationship deteriorate into murder?
According to the family, it was about him refusing to leave. A romantic relationship ended, but he stayed as a tenant. When they tried to remove him, he became hostile. Kelly was afraid enough to tell her sister-in-law she thought he might kill her. That's the trajectory—a domestic entanglement that couldn't be resolved, and escalating threats.
Did anyone try to intervene before it happened?
The source doesn't say. We know Kelly expressed her fear to family, but whether anyone contacted police or took formal steps to remove him—that's not documented in what we have. It's one of those tragic gaps.
What strikes you most about this?
That Kelly saw it coming. She told someone she was afraid he would kill her. And then he did. That's the part that sits with you—the warning that couldn't be acted on in time.