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Tragic Shooting of Civil Search Members in Jalisco
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – In a heartbreaking incident, gunmen on a motorcycle took the lives of two members of a civil search group responsible for uncovering a site now widely referred to as Mexico’s “ranch of horror,” according to statements from the organization and local authorities made on Thursday.
The victims, identified as Carmen Morales and her son Jaime Ramirez, were shot Wednesday night, as confirmed by the Jalisco state prosecutor’s office. The assailants have yet to be identified.
Morales and Ramirez were affiliated with the citizen search organization known as Guerreros Buscadores, based in the western state of Jalisco. This group played a crucial role in the discovery of the site in March, where searchers unearthed numerous articles of clothing and skeletal remains. Authorities indicated that this location, situated in Teuchitlan—a rural area near Guadalajara—was used by criminal gangs as a training facility.
Raul Servin, a representative of Guerreros Buscadores, remarked on the tragedy, stating, “Unfortunately, Morales had already been threatened several times. It’s sad and painful that these things are happening. All we families want is to find our loved ones.”
Contrary to suspicions that the killings may be linked to their activities as searchers, the Jalisco state prosecutor’s office dismissed this theory in their official communication.
At the time of their deaths, Morales and Ramirez were actively searching for a relative who went missing in February 2024.
This incident is part of a disturbing trend, as earlier this month, another member of the Guerreros Buscadores, Teresa Gonzalez, was also murdered while searching for her missing brother.
Search groups, which are often made up of family members of the missing, frequently face threats, largely believed to originate from organized crime groups implicated in these disappearances, according to various human rights organizations.
Jalisco stands out as one of the Mexican states with the highest incidences of reported disappearances. It is known as the stronghold of the notorious Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), a criminal organization that allegedly recruits young individuals by force.
Government statistics indicate that over 124,000 individuals are currently missing in Mexico, with the vast majority of these cases remaining unresolved. This dire situation has led to a significant erosion of trust between families searching for missing loved ones and the authorities meant to assist them.
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