nual asphyxiation. 

 The killers then carried his life-less body out of the motel and dumped him way out in the Jericó area,  Gutierrez said. His body was found days later in a rural area between the Jericó and Puente Iglesias municipalities, in the northeast region of the country.

Gutierrez Molina's female co-worker, meanwhile, was abandoned elsewhere in Medellín while still under the effects of the substance, authorities said. She returned to the hotel early and was said to be  disoriented,  Medellín Security Secretary Manuel Villa Mejía said in March.

Villa said investigators had identified the people last seen with Gutierrez, and that they had a history of committing theft using scopolamine, an incapacitating drug known as  devil's breath,  with a history of being used in assaults in the country.

Peña and Olave were tracked down in Peru through the help of Interpol, the International Criminal Police Organization. Both face charges of aggravated homicide and aggravated theft. Gonzalez is believed to be responsible for withdrawing funds from Gutierrez Molina's account and has been charged with cyber theft-related crimes.

 From day one, we said that the killing of U.S. citizen Eric Fernando Gutiérrez would not go unpunished. Eric was drugged, rendered defenseless, murdered, and subsequently abandoned in a rural area of ​​Jericó,  Mayor Gutierrez said.

He also expressed gratitude to the national and international authorities that helped on the case.

 Thanks to the coordinated efforts of the Medellín Police, the prosecutor's office, Interpol, Peruvian authorities, the U.S. Embassy, ​​and HSI, this crime was solved, the criminal organization known as 'Los Goteros' was identified, and several of its alleged members were captured,  he added.

Investigators in Colombia say they are making progress in the disappearance of a North Texas flight attendant. As the search continues, friends are speaking out four days after his disappearance. NBC 5's Candace Sweat reports on the latest developments.

Gutiérrez's family said on a GoFundMe post that he was born and raised in El Salvador before coming to the U.S. and becoming a citizen.

 His mother describes him as a person with a beautiful soul that was quickly recognized by anyone,  the family wrote.

 Ernesto, his partner of many years, will always remember and cherish the beautiful person he was,  the family wrote.  He was the sunshine in his life and will forever remember and cherish him. 

What is scopolamine?

According to the U.S. Embassy in Colombia, scopolamine has been used for years to carry out robberies of people targeted while visiting bars and nightclubs in Medellín, Cartagena and Bogotá.

The drug is a sedative that often leaves the victim disoriented, with no memory and sedated,  so they are easily robbed. 

The embassy said that if the drug is ingested or exposed, it can leave a victim unconscious for 24 hours or more and that overdoses can cause respiratory failure and death.

The casket of an American Airlines flight attendant arrived at DFW Airport after he was reported missing in Medellín, Colombia more than a week ago. His body was discovered days later in a creek. NBC 5's Alicia Barrera reports.