Private investigator says drug kingpin targeted David Ortiz

A Dominican drug trafficker who was jealous of David Ortiz and felt disrespected by him had him shot at a Dominican nightclub in 2019, according to private investigators the former Red Sox slugger hired to look into the attack that nearly killed him. The findings by former Boston police commissioner Edward Davis, reported by the Boston Globe, contradict the theory of the crime developed by Dominican prosecutors.

Davis identified César Peralta as having orchestrated the shooting by placing a bounty on Ortiz and sanctioning a hit squad that tried to kill him. Dominican authorities did not cooperate with the private investigation.

Peralta is being held without bail in Puerto Rico on unrelated charges of conspiracy to import cocaine and heroin. Ortiz’s spokesperson, Joe Baerlein, said Davis’ findings were withheld for Ortiz’s safety until Peralta was in U.S. custody.

Peralta has not been charged in relation to Ortiz’s shooting. Peralta’s lawyer, Joaquin Perez, said Peralta had nothing to do with the attempt on Ortiz’s life. Perez described Ortiz and Peralta as “close friends.” Ortiz said he knew Peralta only casually and that he was “sad, confused, angry, all kinds of emotions”when he received the news from Davis and Ric Prado, a former high-ranking CIA official who participated in the inquiry.

Dominican authorities have said the target was meant to be Sixto David Fernandez, who was sharing a table with Ortiz when he was shot. Authorities said the hit men confused Fernandez with Ortiz. Thirteen people have been charged in relation to Ortiz’s shooting and are awaiting trial in the Dominican Republic.