Two bodies, including that of a teenager, were discovered near the roadside linked to the suspects involved in the murder of a mayor who was working to combat drug cartels.
Carlos Manzo, aged 40, from Uruapan, a city approximately 251 miles west of Mexico City, was fatally shot amid festivities for the Day of the Dead. Following his death, 17-year-old Miguel Angel Ubaldo Vidales was identified and subsequently killed by law enforcement, with an ongoing investigation into the circumstances.
The mayor had requested additional support from the Mexican central government to address drug-related crimes, while Ubaldo Vidales was found to have ties to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. The assailant, who fired six shots at the mayor, had been missing from his residence for about a week.
Governor Alfedo Ramirez Bedolla disclosed that the two individuals found murdered on the road between Uruapan and Paracho, near Capacuaro, were associates of the perpetrator who killed the mayor.
Ramirez Bedolla stated, “The prosecutor’s office has confirmed the involvement of two more individuals in the assassination alongside the main culprit, and these two are the ones found deceased in Capácuaro. One of them is a 16-year-old, and this information has been verified with the Secretary of Security, Omar García Harfuch.”
He expressed concern about the recruitment of teenagers by cartels in Michoacan, where crime rates have escalated, particularly in Uruapan, known for its avocado production, where criminal groups have targeted farmers for extortion.
An investigation is ongoing into the events of the attack that led to the mayor’s death, despite his security detail comprising eight private bodyguards and 14 police officers. Authorities are also looking into the circumstances surrounding Ubaldo Vidales’ death, as he was killed after being apprehended by the police.
Ramirez Bedolla mentioned, “We are also probing the reasons behind the fatal shooting of the perpetrator after his arrest. A confrontation occurred, resulting in a fatal shot. This incident is also under investigation.” The discovery of the murdered accomplices of the assassins further complicates the case for the investigators.
Meanwhile, Carlos Manzo’s widow, Grecia Quiroz, was sworn in by the State Congress to succeed her husband as mayor, vowing to continue his efforts. Quiroz stated, “They took the life of Carlos Manzo, but they could not extinguish his legacy.”