QUITO (AP) — Ecuadorian police have arrested two suspects in the killing of soccer player Mario Pineida, who was shot in an attack this week that also killed his partner and wounded his mother, underscoring the rising violence in the Andean nation.
The 33-year-old Barcelona de Guayaquil defender and former national soccer team player was shot and killed on Wednesday. Latin American soccer clubs and fans have since mourned his death.
Ecuador's prosecutor’s office said on Friday on X that suspects Cristian P.G. and Jimnery P.B appeared before a judge, who then ordered their so-called preventive arrests, based on the judge's understanding that there’s enough evidence against them as well as a risk of them fleeing from justice.
Police said the shooting attack took place in Samanes, a northern neighborhood of the coastal city of Guayaquil, some 265 kilometers (165 miles) southwest of the capital, Quito.
Security camera footage from the scene shows Pineida and his partner leaving a butcher shop and then being shot by two men, one wearing a motorcycle helmet and the other a cap. Local authorities have not released the name of Pineida's partner.
Pineida played eight games for Ecuador but was not part of the team qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. His last game for Ecuador was at the 2021 Copa América, as a late substitute in a group-stage game against Brazil. He also played in the 2017 edition.
In November, a 16-year-old soccer player of Independiente del Valle died from a stray bullet, also in Guayaquil. Two months earlier, Maicol Valencia and Leandro Yépez, both players of Exapromo Costa, and Jonathan González, of 22 de Junio died from gunshot wounds.
Follow the AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america
FILE - Ecuador's Mario Pineida, center, and Colombia's Abel Aguilar battle for the ball during their 2018 World Cup qualifying soccer match at the Atahualpa Olympic Stadium in Quito, Ecuador, March 28, 2017. (AP Photo/Dolores Ochoa, File)
Police work the scene as the body of slain soccer player Mario Pineida lies on the floor at a butcher shop in Guayaquil, Ecuador, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Cesar Munoz)
STATESVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Federal investigators sifting through the wreckage of a business jet that crashed in North Carolina and killed retired NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, his family, and three others are trying to figure out who was flying the plane and what caused it to return to the airport soon after takeoff.
The Cessna C550 erupted into a large fire when it hit the ground Thursday, about a third of a mile (550 meters) from the airport's runway, killing all seven on board.
It had departed Statesville Regional Airport, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) north of Charlotte, but crashed less than 10 minutes later while trying to return and land, authorities said.
Flight records show the plane was registered to a company run by Biffle. Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board were at the airport, attempting to determine the cause of the crash and why the plane had returned to the airport in drizzle and cloudy conditions.
Investigators recovered the cockpit voice recorder. They were not aware of any emergency calls from the jet, NTSB member Michael Graham said at a Friday news conference.
There were three pilots on board. Federal Aviation Administration records show Biffle was rated to fly helicopters, and single- and multi-engine planes. Also on board was pilot Dennis Dutton, Dutton's son, Jack — who had a private pilot’s license for single-engine planes — and Biffle's friend Craig Wadsworth.
Biffle's wife, Cristina, and children Ryder, 5, and Emma, 14, were also killed in the crash, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol said.
“Each of them meant everything to us, and their absence leaves an immeasurable void in our lives,” the joint family statement said.
Cristina Biffle's mother told People magazine that her daughter sent her a text message saying, “We’re in trouble," before she didn't hear from her again.
Greg Biffle, 55, won more than 50 races across NASCAR’s three circuits, including 19 at the Cup Series level. He also won the Trucks Series championship in 2000 and the Xfinity Series title in 2002.
NASCAR called Biffle “a beloved member of the NASCAR community, a fierce competitor, and a friend to so many.”
“His passion for racing, his integrity, and his commitment to fans and fellow competitors alike made a lasting impact on the sport," NASCAR said.
A memorial with flowers sprouted up Friday by Biffle's marble star in his hometown of Mooresville, honoring him as a member of the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame.
In 2024, Biffle was honored for his humanitarian efforts after Hurricane Helene struck the U.S., even using his personal helicopter to deliver aid to flooded, remote western North Carolina.
“The last time I spoke with Cristina, just a couple of weeks ago, she reached out to ask how she could help with relief efforts in Jamaica. That’s who the Biffles were," U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson, a Republican from North Carolina, said.
Wadsworth was Biffle's friend and helped him with odd jobs, including delivering supplies to places hit by Hurricane Helene, roommate Benito Howell said.
“He didn’t know how to say no,” Howell said of Wadsworth, who had worked for several NASCAR teams. “He loved everybody. He always tried to help everybody.”
The joint family statement also spoke about Dutton and his son Jack, saying they were “deeply loved as well, and their loss is felt by all who knew them.”
The Statesville airport remained closed Friday while the NTSB performed its investigation, a city spokesperson said.
Associated Press writers Allen G. Breed; Jenna Fryer in Charlotte, North Carolina; Josh Funk in Omaha, Nebraska; Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, South Carolina; Ed White in Detroit; and Hallie Golden in Seattle contributed to this story.
FILE - Former driver Greg Biffle waves to fans prior to a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Darlington Raceway, Aug. 31, 2025, in Darlington, S.C. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley, File)
First responders tend to the scene of a reported plane crash at a regional airport in Statesville, N.C., Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley)
FILE - Greg Biffle celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Kansas Speedway on Sunday, Oct. 3, 2010, in Kansas City, Kan. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner, File)
First responders tend to the scene of a reported plane crash at a regional airport in Statesville, N.C., Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley)
FILE - Greg Biffle smiles along pit row during qualifying for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Friday, Aug. 31, 2012, in Hampton, Ga. (AP Photo/David Tulis, File)
