VA VA - Eduardo Masoller, 52, Ocean City, 3 Febraury 2005

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Decade Later, Ocean City Homicide Still A Cold Case; Investigation Remains Open
Posted on 02/05/2015 by DispatchAdmin

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Eduardo Masoller

[...]

Eduardo Masoller, then 52, of Springfield, Va., was reported missing by his family on Feb. 3, 2005, just three days after he and his crew arrived in Ocean City for a contracting job. Ocean City Police, accompanied by family members, went to Masoller’s condominium on 68th Street and found a large knife on the floor as well as a large amount of blood evidence throughout the unit, the most significant of which was a large pool in one of the unit’s bedrooms.

In June 2005, a Worcester County Circuit Court judge ruled favorably on a petition to declare Masoller officially deceased, turning the missing persons case into a homicide investigation. The judge essentially agreed the evidence presented suggested the victim could not have survived the injuries indicated by the amount of blood discovered in the unit.

[...]

From the beginning, the investigation centered around two main suspects, both of whom were part of Masoller’s contracting crew and were among the last known to see him alive. One of the suspects, Jose Damian Hernandez, was convicted in September 2005 on a theft charge related to the victim’s stolen vehicle, which was later recovered in Columbus, Ohio. Hernandez was sentenced to five years in jail, but he has long since been released and deported to his native El Salvador.

Meanwhile, the other main suspect, known to OCPD detectives for a long time only as “Beto,” remains at large. In 2006, resort detectives learned the true identity of “Beto.” Beto has been identified as Jose Roberto Orellana Romero, 34, with no fixed address. Romero’s most recent address available is in Columbus, Ohio, where Hernandez was ultimately arrested on the theft charges, but resort detectives believe he could have fled to his native El Salvador.

After determining Romero’s identity, OCPD detectives were able to secure a warrant for his arrest, charging him with multiple counts of felony theft for his role in the incident. However, an arrest warrant for Romero remains active in Worcester County.

Anyone with information on the case or the whereabouts of the main suspects is urged to contact OCPD Detective Brett Case at 410-723-6632. Citizens who wish to remain anonymous can also contact the OCPD Crime Tops Hotline at 410-520-5136.
 
May 5, 2022

  • eduardo_masoller_1.jpg
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Masoller, circa 2005
  • Missing Since 01/31/2005
  • Missing From Ocean City, Maryland
  • Classification Endangered Missing
  • Sex Male
  • Race Hispanic
  • Age 52 years old
  • Height and Weight Unknown
  • Distinguishing Characteristics Hispanic male. Brown hair. Masoller is a native of Uruguay.

Details of Disappearance​

Masoller, a construction contractor, traveled from his home in northern Virginia to Ocean City, Maryland in January 2005 to install roofing and siding. He was last seen at a the Bull on the Beach restaurant in Ocean City on on January 31. He was having dinner with one of his employees, Jose Damian Hernandez. He has never been heard from again. He was reported missing on February 3.

After his disappearance, police found evidence of a violent struggle and a great deal of Masoller's blood in his condominium at the Sea Mark on 63rd Street in Ocean City. Most of the blood was in the master bedroom next to the bed, but drops were also found in the kitchen and dining room. The stains were still damp when they were discovered.

All the bedding and linens, as well as a large futon mattress and a kitchen knife, were found to be missing from the condominium. Another large knife was found on the floor inside the residence. The amount of blood in Masoller's home indicated that he could not have survived his injuries.

Hernandez used Masoller's credit card after his disappearance. He later returned it to Masoller's family, saying he had been given permission to use it. He was arrested for possession of stolen property on February 8, 2005.

Authorities found Masoller's van, which had disappeared with him, parked at Hernandez's apartment in Columbus, Ohio. They also discovered that Hernandez had pawned some of Masoller's work tools the same day he disappeared. Hernandez was convicted of the charges in June 2005 and sentenced to five years in prison. He has since been released and deported to his native El Salvador.

There is a second suspect in the theft, Jose Roberto Orellana Romero, also known as Beto. Romero worked on Masoller's contracting crew and was one of the last people to see him prior to his disappearance. Romero is wanted for questioning about Masoller's disappearance and the theft of his belongings. Both Hernandez and Romero are from El Salvador and were in the United States illegally in 2005.

Authorities did not learn Romero's true identity until August 2005; he was initially thought to be named Roberto Garcia. He is described as 18 to 25 years old, with straight black hair and a medium build. Romero remains at large. He was last known to be living in Columbus, Ohio, but he may have returned to El Salvador. Hernandez and Romero are the prime suspects in Masoller's presumed murder.

Police believe Masoller's body was wrapped in bedding and dumped somewhere within a 30-mile radius of Ocean City. However, there is insufficient evidence to charge anyone in the disappearance.

Masoller's family says it is uncharacteristic of him to be out of touch with them. He was declared legally dead in June 2005 and a death certificate was issued. Foul play is suspected in his case, but it remains unsolved.

Investigating Agency​

  • Ocean City Police Department 410-723-6604

Source Information​

Updated 6 times since October 12, 2004. Last updated January 22, 2010; details of disappearance updated.
 

Distinguishing Marks/Features: He has a surgical scar on his left knee. He wears a mustache.
Identifiers
Dentals: Not Available
Fingerprints: Not Available
DNA: Available

Feb 14, 2019


<<Fourteen years later, the victim’s remains have never been found despite an exhaustive search throughout the resort area and across the Eastern Shore and beyond.>>
 

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