PUEBLA, MX – Officials in Puebla, one of Mexico’s most populous cities, reported on Friday the discovery of seven bodies in an abandoned vehicle on a busy expressway. Five of the bodies were decapitated, and another was entirely dismembered.
The state prosecutors of Puebla disclosed that each body had a message attached, supposedly explaining the reasons for their demise. The victims were accused of various crimes, ranging from minor drug dealing to freight truck robbery and extortion.
Puebla’s chief prosecutor, Gilberto Higuera, shared that each body bore hand-written notes, each explaining the reason for their killing. Higuera, however, did not comment on whether these deaths could be linked to drug cartels. He did mention that the vehicle, which was stolen, was left in the middle of the expressway, disrupting traffic.
While vigilantes have been known to leave such messages on their victims, it’s more common for drug cartels to use this method to intimidate rivals or reprimand those who break their rules.
Higuera was cautious while discussing the evidence but hinted that it might involve gang disputes and attempts to establish dominance and recruit people. He did not elaborate further. However, it’s known that some Mexican cartels, when trying to claim a territory, eliminate rivals and petty criminals, leaving messages to warn locals against such activities under their rule.
The brutal murders are particularly shocking because they took place in Puebla, a relatively wealthy city located east of Mexico City. Puebla, Mexico’s fifth-largest city, has largely been spared from the drug cartel violence plaguing surrounding areas.
The act of leaving the bodies on a busy expressway was also unusual. Authorities were promptly alerted to the scene due to the traffic congestion caused by the vehicle containing the bodies on the city’s main ring road.