Mexican police found seven bodies in a car, five of them decapitated, with a message 'detailing the reason for the murders'

Authorities in one of Mexico's largest cities said Friday that seven bodies were discovered in cars abandoned in traffic jams on a major highway, five of them decapitated and one fully decapitated. They announced that they found messages written on each of the bodies.

Prosecutors in the central state of Puebla said messages were left on all the bodies that purportedly outlined the reasons for the killings. Prosecutors said each suspect was accused of committing specific crimes, ranging from street drug dealing to cargo truck robbery to extortion.

“Handwritten messages were found on each body, each detailing the reason for the murder,” said Puebla state chief prosecutor Gilberto Higuera.

Higuera did not discuss the possibility that the cause of death was linked to drug cartels. He said the stolen car was abandoned in a traffic jam on the highway.

Vigilante groups may leave such messages on bodies, but drug cartels seeking to intimidate rivals or punish what they say are violations of their rules are more likely to leave similar signs on the bodies of their victims. Much more.

Mr. Higuera was very careful in describing the evidence, which included “something related not only to conflicts[between gangs]but also to control over certain people, not only for control but for recruitment purposes. ' was suggested to be included.

He did not elaborate further. However, as some Mexican cartels attempt to establish their own territory, they kill rivals, petty thieves, and drug traffickers on sight, making local residents aware that such activities will not be tolerated under the new cartel. Leave a convincing message.

This gruesome murder was shocking because it occurred in Puebla, a relatively wealthy and large city just east of Mexico City. Puebla is Mexico's fifth largest city and has largely escaped the drug cartel violence that affected surrounding areas. According to the data Statewide, 200 murders were recorded in the first three months of 2024, the Puebla State Prosecutor's Office announced.

Leaving a body in the middle of a highway was also unusual. Police were immediately alerted as a car loaded with bodies was blocking traffic on the city's main ring road.

disturbing trend

Mutilated bodies have been increasingly found dumped in public places or hung from bridges with threatening messages in Mexico in recent years as cartels and gangs seek to intimidate rivals.

In January, A hacked body was found Prosecutors said the incident occurred inside two abandoned vehicles on a bridge in the Gulf state of Veracruz. A banner left on one of the vehicles contained an apparent warning message from a powerful cartel.

Last July, a violent drug cartel was suspected of leaving a severed human leg hanging from a pedestrian bridge in Toluca, just west of Mexico City. The body's torso was left in the street below near the city center. with a handwritten message Signed by the Familia Michoacana Cartel. Other parts of the body were later found in other areas, as well as a handwritten sign for a drug cartel nearby.

In 2022, severed heads of six men It was reportedly found on top of a Volkswagen in southern Mexico, with warning signs hanging from two trees at the scene.

same year, bodies of seven men It was found dumped on a road in the Huasteca area. Scrawled in marker on the body were the words, “This happened because we collaborated with the Gulf,” an apparent reference to the Gulf Cartel.

Summarize this content to 100 words Authorities in one of Mexico's largest cities said Friday that seven bodies were discovered in cars abandoned in traffic jams on a major highway, five of them decapitated and one fully decapitated. They announced that they found messages written on each of the bodies.Prosecutors in the central state of Puebla said messages were left on all the bodies that purportedly outlined the reasons for the killings. Prosecutors said each suspect was accused of committing specific crimes, ranging from street drug dealing to cargo truck robbery to extortion.”Handwritten messages were found on each body, each detailing the reason for the murder,” said Puebla state chief prosecutor Gilberto Higuera.

Higuera did not discuss the possibility that the cause of death was linked to drug cartels. He said the stolen car was abandoned in a traffic jam on the highway.Vigilante groups may leave such messages on bodies, but drug cartels seeking to intimidate rivals or punish what they say are violations of their rules are more likely to leave similar signs on the bodies of their victims. Much more.

Mr. Higuera was very careful in describing the evidence, which included “something related not only to conflicts[between gangs]but also to control over certain people, not only for control but for recruitment purposes. ' was suggested to be included.He did not elaborate further. However, as some Mexican cartels attempt to establish their own territory, they kill rivals, petty thieves, and drug traffickers on sight, making local residents aware that such activities will not be tolerated under the new cartel. Leave a convincing message.This gruesome murder was shocking because it occurred in Puebla, a relatively wealthy and large city just east of Mexico City. Puebla is Mexico's fifth largest city and has largely escaped the drug cartel violence that affected surrounding areas. According to the data Statewide, 200 murders were recorded in the first three months of 2024, the Puebla State Prosecutor's Office announced.

View of a Puebla State Police truck parked on the street in Puebla City, Puebla State, Mexico, December 10, 2023.

Artur Widak/NurPhoto (via Getty Images)

Leaving a body in the middle of a highway was also unusual. Police were immediately alerted as a car loaded with bodies was blocking traffic on the city's main ring road.

disturbing trendMutilated bodies have been increasingly found dumped in public places or hung from bridges with threatening messages in Mexico in recent years as cartels and gangs seek to intimidate rivals.In January, A hacked body was found Prosecutors said the incident occurred inside two abandoned vehicles on a bridge in the Gulf state of Veracruz. A banner left on one of the vehicles contained an apparent warning message from a powerful cartel.Last July, a violent drug cartel was suspected of leaving a severed human leg hanging from a pedestrian bridge in Toluca, just west of Mexico City. The body's torso was left in the street below near the city center. with a handwritten message Signed by the Familia Michoacana Cartel. Other parts of the body were later found in other areas, as well as a handwritten sign for a drug cartel nearby.In 2022, severed heads of six men It was reportedly found on top of a Volkswagen in southern Mexico, with warning signs hanging from two trees at the scene.same year, bodies of seven men It was found dumped on a road in the Huasteca area. Scrawled in marker on the body were the words, “This happened because we collaborated with the Gulf,” an apparent reference to the Gulf Cartel.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mexico-police-find-decapitated-bodies-car-messages-reason-they-were-killed/ Mexican police found seven bodies in a car, five of them decapitated, with a message 'detailing the reason for the murders'