Nine months after the murder of Newton Falls air force pilot Karl Hoerig, the key suspect remains at large and is living freely in Brazil. Claudia Hoerig fled to Brazil shortly after her husband's shooting death in March. Local authorities believe all evidence points to her guilt, but have not been able to extradite her, due to lack of cooperation on the part of the Brazilian government.
Now Congressman Tim Ryan is ready to introduce legislation which will put pressure on that government. He says two pieces have been drafted that would call for re-negotiating the US/Brazil Treaty, and limit foreign aid to that country. According to Ryan, last year, the US gave Brazil 14 million dollars.
"If they say she is not coming back, we drop the legislation immediately, " Ryan told reporters. "They need to know we are fed up."
Trumbull County Prosecutor Dennis Watkins wants Brazil to obey the US/Brazil Treaty. "If you really believe in international law and justice, how can you protect someone who committed premeditated murder," Watkins said.
Ccongressman Ryan is also proposing tariffs on Brazilian products and travel restrictions on people coming from Brazil to the US, but that legislation has not yet been drafted. Karl Hoerig was 44.
