Authorities in Colombia have arrested a 19-year-old man in connection with the murder of two teenage sisters whose bodies were found buried in Malambo, in the Atlántico department.

The suspect was detained while receiving treatment at a clinic in Barranquilla after reportedly being injured in a motorcycle accident. Police said he had been hospitalized awaiting surgery for a fractured leg when officers moved in to arrest him.

Investigators identified the victims as sisters Sherydann Sofía Hernández Noriega, 14, and Keyla Nicolle Hernández Noriega, 17. The teenagers had been reported missing after leaving their home on the final night of the Barranquilla Carnival.

According to authorities, the girls told their grandmother they were going out to a party before leaving the house. After that night, the family lost contact with them. Soon afterward, relatives began receiving extortion calls claiming the sisters had been kidnapped and demanding ransom payments ranging from 5 million to 50 million Colombian pesos.

Days later, neighbors alerted authorities after noticing a strong odor coming from a vacant lot with tall vegetation in the Maranatha neighborhood of Malambo. Police discovered the bodies of the two sisters buried at the site. One of the bodies was in an advanced state of decomposition, while the other was identified through a tattoo.

During the investigation, authorities examined the cellphone of the detained suspect and reportedly found messages related to the crime. Officials also linked a 17-year-old minor to the case and are continuing efforts to locate him.

Prosecutors indicated that one possible motive under investigation is that the girls were suspected of providing information about members of a criminal group to rival gangs.

Authorities have offered a reward of 20 million Colombian pesos for information that could help clarify the crime and identify others involved in the killings. The investigation remains ongoing.