12/28/11 – On Christmas Eve, the charred bodies of three young men were found in a burned down car on a road in Michoacán. The victims were Alexis Marron, an 18-year-old teenager from Rolling Meadows, Illinois, and his two friends, 21 and 24, both from Michoacán. Marron allegedly was traveling to visit his girlfriend, although reports indicate that he kept his planned trip quiet for fear that his family would not let him travel. When Marron’s uncle called him on December 23 to see where he was, the signal was weak and the call dropped. After he did not return that night, his family called the authorities the next day, which eventually resulted in the finding of Marron and his friends. Since the car had been burnt and the bodies unrecognizable due to the condition, his uncle could only identify his nephew by what was left of his clothes and the crowns on his teeth.
At first it was thought that this case was due to a robbery, but based on a similar incident in early December where a burnt car was found with the bodies of two Mexico City residents, it has been linked to the violence occurring because of the rivalry amongst local drug trafficking organizations in the area, particularly that of the Knights Templar and Jalisco New Generation cartels, indicate news sources.
The U.S. State Department stated that it would work with U.S. embassy officials in Mexico to investigate and gather more information. Family and friends in Rolling Meadows were devastated by the news and spoke greatly of Marron and of the bright future that awaited him at his memorial services.
Sources:
Díaz, José Luis. “Amarga Navidad; Muerto en una Cajuela.” El Sol de Morelia. December 28, 2011.
Associated Press. “Encuentran tres jóvenes calcinados en México.” Noticia Al Dia. December 27, 2011.
