In the early 1990s, the notorious drug lord Pablo Escobar placed hefty bounties worth $300,000 on the lives of DEA agents Steve Murphy and Javier Peña. This haunting revelation might unnerve anyone, considering the fact that Escobar was a ruthless mass murderer. However, Murphy stated that they became accustomed to the constant threats. While remaining hyper-vigilant and aware of their surroundings, they couldn’t allow fear to cloud their judgment and hinder their mission. It may sound strange, but they learned to put the danger out of their minds and focus on their job, accepting it as an inevitable part of their profession.
Despite the risks and perils they faced, Murphy and Peña remained actively involved in the investigation of Escobar and the infamous Medellín Cartel until his demise in 1993. Recently, they had the opportunity to share their incredible story with students and community members at Lebanon’s Cumberland University. Sitting in the Alumni Hall, Peña recalled a chilling incident during their time in Colombia.
Peña recounted an episode when he was targeted in his Bogotá apartment. Thanks to valuable intelligence, he received a phone call that saved his life. Urgently ordered to evacuate and seek refuge at the embassy, Peña swiftly left the premises with his gun in hand. The ever-present threats continued to disrupt their lives on a daily basis.
These threats multiplied due to Escobar’s use of car bombs, which posed the greatest danger: being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Peña explained how Escobar indiscriminately placed car bombs anywhere he could, including outside their base or when officers were leaving. Thousands of police officers lost their lives as Escobar declared a personal war against the Colombian National Police, offering bounties of $100 per head. Peña arrived in Colombia in 1988 and became deeply involved in the Escobar case.
Peña admitted that they initially underestimated the scale of Escobar’s influence until his campaign turned towards terrorism, spiraling out of control. Escobar had a vast network of over 500 hired gunmen working for him, which further escalated the threat level. Murphy arrived in Colombia in 1991, the same week Escobar surrendered, only for Escobar to escape from prison the following year. This turn of events rejuvenated their determination to apprehend him.
Soon after Escobar’s escape, Peña and Murphy were sent to collaborate with the Colombian National Police in Medellín, where they remained for 18 months. To maintain seamless operations, one of them always had to stay in Medellín while the other was stationed in Bogotá, ensuring they could never take vacation concurrently. Their intelligence gathering and investigative efforts were shared with DEA agents worldwide. An important breakthrough came when the United States offered a $5 million bounty on Escobar, leading to a hotline that Peña and Murphy manned, receiving vital intelligence.
Throughout their mission, they continued to work side by side with the Colombian National Police. Despite moments of doubt when surrender seemed tempting, the constant loss of lives among officers and civilians encouraged them to pursue Escobar relentlessly, resorting to any means necessary in their search. The tide began to turn two months before Escobar’s capture through a breakthrough in intercepting his radio communications.
On Dec. 2, 1993, Escobar was discovered in a house in Medellín. As police stormed a three-story row house, Escobar and a hired gunman rushed upstairs. The gunman made a daring escape by leaping out of a window onto the roof of a neighboring two-story house, where he exchanged gunfire with the police and was ultimately killed.
Murphy revealed that as the police closed in, Escobar, trapped and able to hear the gunshots, leapt from the window, trying to conceal himself from the ground forces by hugging the wall. However, he knew that it was only a matter of time before the police reached him.
When the police reached the window, they commanded Escobar to stop. Ignoring their orders, Escobar opened fire and tried to run across the roof. The police responded by shooting him. Escobar was hit three times and met his end.
Although Murphy and Peña were not present during Escobar’s demise, they vividly recalled their emotions upon hearing the news. Peña remarked that his death was a necessary outcome, potentially saving countless innocent lives.
This marks the eighth year that Peña and Murphy have traversed the globe, sharing their captivating tale. They hope to shed light on the truth about Escobar, dispelling any misconceptions. They assert that Escobar was not a Robin Hood figure or a devoted family man. Instead, they emphasize his role as a mass murderer held responsible for up to 50,000 deaths, as acknowledged by his own associates. Escobar’s control over 80% of the global cocaine trade at its peak cemented his status as one of history’s most violent individuals.
