History records few criminals whose deeds are so horrific

that they earned a sentence beyond comprehension: 1,853 years in prison.¹ Yet the story becomes even more chilling when we step back to the very beginning, without knowing the name of the man behind these crimes.

In the 1990s, Colombia’s rural villages wore a quiet mask, but underneath lurked fear. Life revolved around poverty and relentless labor, yet violence hung over every street and path. Government forces, rebel groups, and drug cartels clashed constantly, leaving a trail of mass killings and civilian deaths.²