9/9/15 – (by frodriguez) – On July 31, 2015, journalist Ruben Espinoza Becerril was killed in an apartment in the Narvarte neighborhood, in Mexico City, along with four women, all with injuries all over their bodies and shot in the head. Mexico City’s authorities confirmed the identity of the journalist after his sister recognized Espinoza’s body at the Forensic Medical Service on August 1st, 2015. The female victims were identified as: Yesenia Quiroz (18) a makeup artist from the northern Mexican State of Baja California, Nicole (29) a Colombian national, allegedly Espinoza’s assistant, Nadia Vera (32) an activist from the southern Mexican state of Chiapas, and Alejandra (40) from the State of Mexico and who was believed to work cleaning the apartment.
As investigations evolve, two have been detained in relation to the case and the whereabouts of two other suspected accomplices remain unknown. On August 11, Mexican authorities took Daniel Pacheco Gutierrez into custody and on September 1, authorities detained Abraham Torres Tranquilino. There is also one women believed to have been another accomplice; but her whereabouts remain unknown. Mexico City Attorney General Rodolfo Rios Garza has informed that his job is to achieve justice by finding those responsible for the mass killing.
Espinoza, originally from Mexico City, had lived and worked for decades in the Mexican state of Veracruz, but moved to Mexico City on June 9, 2015, after receiving threatening messages such as “Bájale o te va a pasar lo mismo que a Regina Martinez,” referring he could have the same ending as Regina Martinez, journalist and Espinoza’s former boss, killed in April 2012.
There have been allegations of possible involvement of Veracruz’s state authorities in the killing of Espinoza and the four women. According to El Universal, Nadia Vera, one of the victims, filled an official report in 2014 blaming Veracruz’s Governor Javier Duarte for whatever could happened to her. Mexico’s Attorney General’s office called Governor Duarte to provide a statement on the case. Duarte denied any relationship or responsibility to the crime, and assured he would collaborate with further investigations.
In the absence of a conclusive investigation, journalists and civil rights activists, both in Mexico and abroad, have engaged in protests. Under the administration of Governor of Veracruz Javier Duarte de Ochoa, twelve journalists have been killed.
Sources:
“Asesinan en el DF a Rubén Espinosa, fotoperiodista de Proceso” Proceso, August 1, 2015.
http://www.proceso.com.mx/412006/2015/08/01/reporta-articulo-19-como-desaparecido-a-fotoperiodista-de-proceso
Ortiz Cortez, Guillermina. “Protestas en el DF y varios estados por la muerte de Rubén Espinosa” CNN Mexico, August 2, 2015.
http://www.cnnmexico.com/nacional/2015/08/02/protestas-en-el-df-y-varios-estados-por-la-muerte-de-ruben-espinosa
“El crimen de la Narvarte: repercusiones internacionales” LaJornada, August 17, 2015.
http://www.jornada.unam.mx/2015/08/17/edito
“¿Quiénes son las víctimas del multihomicidio en la Narvarte?” Excelsior, August 4 2015.
http://www.excelsior.com.mx/comunidad/2015/08/04/1038402
“Hallazgos del Caso Narvarte” El Universal, August 18, 2015.
http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/articulo/nacion/seguridad/2015/08/18/hallazgos-del-caso-narvarte
