Bullet riddled car and bodies located in case of missing Ohio man

Mexican authorities have recovered a car that an Ohio man, Jose Gutierrez, was seen driving when he went missing in late December. Gutierrez, a 36-year-old architect from the Cincinnati area, was believed to have been in the car with three other people.

The car was found in the Mexican state of Zacatecas with bullet holes and flat tires. The attorney general for the state of Zacatecas further revealed that four bodies were found buried near the vehicle. Three of the bodies have been identified as the women that were traveling with Gutierrez.

Gutierrez, alongside his fiancée Viviana Pichardo, her sister, and her cousin, have been missing since the night of Christmas Day.

Gutierrez had planned a trip to Mexico to visit his fiancée for the holidays, with the aim of their wedding in 2023. The four had gone to a bar that night, and when they failed to return, Viviana Pichardo’s family contacted them, receiving a text message in reply with an address.

However, when Pichardo’s mother arrived at the address, the police discouraged her from visiting, and the four were never heard from again.

The U.S. State Department has released a warning to not travel to the Zacatecas region due to crime and kidnapping. This is heightened by the violent crime, extortion, and gang activity that is widespread in Zacatecas. U.S. citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents have unfortunately been victims of kidnapping in the past.