The National Guard found five decapitated bodies along a rural stretch of federal Highway 80 in the western state of Jalisco on Sunday morning after motorists alerted officials about “several bags that looked like human silhouettes,” the state prosecutor’s office reported.
The bodies of the five men were discovered on the side of the San Luis Potosí-San Juan de los Lagos highway. Nearby, local officers found another plastic bag containing the victims’ heads.
Durante un recorrido de la Guardia Nacional se encontraron bultos con los cuerpos de 5 víctimas en la carretera de Ojuelos, Jalisco. Información de Hirma Espinoza de los Monteros.#FórmulaNoticias con Juan Pablo Pérez-Díaz (@perezdiazmx). pic.twitter.com/bH74fbKIyu
— Grupo Fórmula (@Radio_Formula) October 14, 2024
As the forensics team examined the scene, the unidentified victims were transported to the coroner’s office for autopsies. No additional information had been made available as of Monday afternoon.
The decapitated bodies were found in the northeasternmost municipality of Ojuelos de Jalisco, which borders the state of Zacatecas to the north, and the municipality of Lagos de Moreno to the south.
The Jalisco highlands have been a hotbed of criminal activity in recent years. The news agency Infobae reported that the region is the base of operations for the Grupo Élite Delictivo de Reacción Inmediata (Rapid Reaction Elite Criminal Group, or GEDDRI), an armed faction of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
GEDDRI’s objective, according to Infobae, is to stave off advances from the rival Sinaloa Cartel.
The newspaper La Jornada reported that there was a shootout between the National Guard and armed civilians on Saturday afternoon in Lagos de Moreno, located about 72 km south of Ojuelos. The attack occurred along Highway 212, during which the gunmen set six vehicles on fire.
Jalisco Governor Enrique Alfaro said two arrests were made and firemen were able to put out the flames and clear away the wreckage a few hours later. No further details were forthcoming.
In June, state officials increased the presence of local and federal security agents in northeastern Jalisco after a clash with armed civilians in Lagos de Moreno left one state prosecutor dead.
With reports from CBS News, Infobae, La Jornada and Milenio
