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9 people found dismembered along highway in Mexico: reportsby JESSICA A
including several who were dismembered and believed to be missing students allegedly vacationing in Mexico
The publication identified them as four women and five men between the ages of 19 and 30
saying they were all originally from Tlaxcala
While the deaths are shrouded in mystery, The Daily Mail reported José "EL Jocha" Lavarieg
who the media outlet described as "an aspiring mayor-turned-gang leader," committed "a cardinal sin in the Mexican criminal world" that led to the murders
The Daily Mail said Lavarieg was also found dead
the media outlet said Lavariega recruited the students to "commit a wave of muggings and thefts."
as a gang that operates in Oaxaca felt Lavarieg "overstepped the line" on rival turf
El Financiero reported the students were all shot
Marathi | Hindi
2025 14:45 IST2025-03-06T14:43:59+5:302025-03-06T14:45:10+5:30
The vacation of nine students ended in a horrific discovery as their severed bodies were found alongside a Mexican highway
were located in an abandoned vehicle's trunk and under a blood-soaked tarp near San Jose Miahuatlan
a bag with eight pairs of severed hands was also found
Two more hands left in the trunk reported Periodico Central
while the other five corpses were left under the tarp.The bodies found in the trunk belonged to four women and five men aged between 19 to 30
They reportedly have signs of bullet wounds and torture
Most of the victims have been identified: Angie Lizeth
went on a vacation to Mexico from Tlaxcala and reportedly went missing on February 27 when they travelled to the beaches in Oaxaca for a vacation
A dark grey Volkswagen Vento with license plates registered in neighbouring Tlaxcala was discovered on Sunday afternoon around 150 miles southeast of Mexico City
Video surveillance footage taken February 24 shows the vehicle driving along the Atlixcayotl highway near the town of Atlixco about 90 miles west of where the students’ remains were found
Periodico Central said.While the suspects are yet to be named
the nature of the killings and the brutality suggest cartel involvement
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Police found the remains of four women and five men in Mexico Sunday,who were reportedly students vacationing
the bodies were found in the municipality of San José Miahuatlán
Investigators discovered the dismembered bodies, believed to belong to missing students vacationing in Oaxaca, Mexico, near a highway. They found body parts from at least nine people inside and around an abandoned car covered by a blood-stained tarp, El Financiero reports
They also located a bag containing eight pairs of hands
but I cannot reveal them due to confidentiality,” Idamis Pastor Betancourt
the head of the State Attorney General’s Office
Central Puebla Irreverente reports that police identified only two of the bodies through their ID cards: Angie Lizeth P.G.
missing from Santa María Huatulco in Oaxaca since Februay 28
missing from San Pedro Pochutla in Oaxaca on the same day
Betancourt indicated that all of the victims have not been publicly identified
According to FOX News Digital, other missing students included Brenda Mariel N.
a gray Volkswagen Vento with aTlaxcala license plate
around 90 miles west of the site where police found the bodies
“When we have a response and the investigation is complete
we will be in a position to provide more information,” Betancourt added
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[feature Photos: Lesly Noya Trejo and Angie Lizeth Perez Garcia/ The Attorney General of the State of Oaxaca
Attorney General for Missing Persons from Tlaxcala.]
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The bodies of five men and four women who had gone missing after a trip to Huatulco, in the state of Oaxaca, were found along a highway by Mexican authorities
According to local reports
the nine bodies showed signs of torture and were found dismembered in the municipality of San José Miahuatlán
The nine people had been reported missing since Feb
27 but it wasn't until three days later that authorities were able to locate their bodies
head of the State Attorney General's Office said at a press conference that there was no information yet regarding how events unfolded
but I cannot reveal them due to confidentiality," she said
"All relevant investigations are being carried out. When we have a response and the investigation is complete, we will be in a position to provide more information," Betancourt added, as reported by PEOPLE
According to Central Puebla Irreverente
only two of the bodies were able to be identified by authorities via their ID cards: Angie Lizeth Perez Garcia
The Oaxaca Attorney General's Office said in a Facebook post that Perez Garcia had been traveling in a Ford Fiesta with Yucatán license plates accompanied by Brenda Mariel Salas Moya
who had also been reported missing but was later found alive in the state of Puebla
The abandoned vehicle where the deceased individuals were discovered was found along with a tarp full of blood stains
Four of the bodies were reportedly found in the vehicle's trunk
and the bloodied tarp was discovered inside the Volkswagen Vento along with five more bodies
Officials also reportedly recovered a bag with eight pairs of hands
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either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter
or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources
Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content
feared to be those of missing students vacationing in Mexican state of Oaxaca
were discovered beside a highway on Sunday
The remains were found inside and around an abandoned car
according to El Financiero and Periodico Central
A bag containing eight pairs of severed hands was also recovered
Mexican Cartels are infamous for amputating hands of victims
The bodies had bullet wounds and visible signs of torture
The car was located in San José Miahuatlán
ID cards found at the scene matched missing people Angie Lizeth Pérez García (L) and Angie Lizeth P.G.
who was reported missing from Santa María Huatulco in Oaxaca on February 28
Others reported missing include Brenda Mariel N.
Chilling CCTV footage captures the last known sighting of the group on February 24
The friends were seen driving along the Atlixcayotl highway near the town of Atlixco
approximately 90 miles west of where the remains were later discovered
The gruesome discovery of their bodies came on the same day that José Alfredo
who had previously run for mayor in Oaxaca's Huatulco resort area
'That's what you get for being a thief,' NVI Noticias reported
Authorities have not confirmed the discovery of the bodies is cartel-related; the manner of the killings could suggest criminal organizations were involved
driven by the high stakes of drug trafficking and organized crime
employs ruthless tactics—from mass executions and brutal dismemberments to widespread kidnappings—to assert their power
Homicides in Mexico declined last year to the lowest level since 2016
according to preliminary 2023 official data
a 6.7 percent decline on the 33,287 recorded in 2022
the head of Puebla's State Attorney General's Office
but I cannot reveal them due to confidentiality
All relevant investigations are being carried out
When we have a response and the investigation is complete
we will be in a position to provide more information."
Investigations into the discovery remain ongoing
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground
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Some of the students were reported missing from beaches on Mexico's Pacific coast at the end of February
Attorney General of the State of Oaxaca Facebook; Attorney General for Missing Persons from Tlaxcala Facebook
Attorney General of the State of Oaxaca Facebook
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The survivor of an attack where a group of beachgoers were intercepted and killed in the Mexican state of Puebla provided details of how the incident began
Local press reported that Brenda Mariel N.
in which nine people were killed and several of them dismembered
said she and another victim had left a hostel when they were intercepted but what seemed to be a local police car
were beat and placed a hood on their heads before separating them
from where she managed to reach a city and report the crime
Jacqueline and eight other people were killed
The nine bodies showed signs of torture and were found dismembered in the municipality of San José Miahuatlán
The bodies were found in an abandoned vehicle along with a tarp full of blood stains
and the bloodied tarp was discovered inside the Volkswagen Vento along with five more corpses
who were seemingly not part of a same group
had been reported missing since February 27
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OAXACA, MEX - Nine bodies, believed to be missing students on vacation, were discovered dismembered on the side of a highway in Mexico earlier this week, according to local reports.
Authorities said the remains of four women and five men were found in an abandoned Volkswagen Vento in San José Miahuatlán
were reportedly missing before the discovery
A tarp covering five bodies and a bag containing eight pairs of hands were found inside the vehicle
with two additional hands located in the trunk
They had been traveling to the beaches in Oaxaca to celebrate their graduation
Officials have not confirmed the identities of the victims
head of the State Attorney General’s Office
said authorities would release further details once the investigation is complete
Two of the victims were identified as women who had been reported missing in Oaxaca on Feb
was last seen traveling with Brenda Mariel Salas Moya in a Ford Fiesta with Yucatan plates
Salas Moya was initially reported missing but was later found alive in Puebla
was identified on Facebook by a city official from Tetla
The missing individuals ranged in age from 19 to 30 and had all traveled to beaches in Oaxaca
Authorities have not determined whether they knew each other
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Dom Joly is Leading Britain's Conversation
The remains were found in an abandoned vehicle in San Jose Miahuatlan on the border of the Mexican states of Puebla and Oaxaca
In what is believed to be the latest savage killing by Mexico’s drug cartels
five of the victims were found in the car under a blood-stained tarp
while the other four were stuffed into the boot of the car
eight pairs of hands were found in a bag dumped at the scene
with a further two hands in the boot of the car
had signs of torture and were found with bullet wounds
The group went missing on February 27 after travelling to the beaches of Oaxaca for a holiday
Initial reports suggested the group were all students
however other reports have emerged in Mexico that they were members of the 'Los Zacapoaxtlas' criminal organisation
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Eight of the nine victims have been identified so far: Angie Lizeth
head of Puebla's State Attorney General's Office
“All relevant investigations are being carried out
we will be in a position to provide more information,” he added
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The students' bodies were found in the boot of a car in San Jose MiahuatlanNine students have tragically been found dismembered by the side of the road along with a 'bag of hands' after they vanished on holiday
Officers made the gruesome discovery in southern Mexico at the weekend after the group of friends went missing during a trip to celebrate their graduation
who had believed they would be found alive
were found in the boot of an abandoned car on a rural road between Puebla and Oaxaca
around 175 miles from Mexico City on Sunday
According to Mexican newspaper El Financiero
initial assessments showed bullet wounds and signs of torture on their bodies
and two more hands turned up in the car's boot
As reported by the Mirror, the group had been travelling to the beach before when were first reported missing in February. CCTV footage capturing the last time they were seen alive on February 24 showed their car driving along the Atlixcayotl highway near the town of Atlixco
around 90 miles west of where their remains were eventually found
while the Attorney General’s Office in Puebla said it is working with colleagues in Tlaxcala and Oaxaca to follow up lines of enquiry
died while on the holiday trip to celebrate graduationArticle continues belowAt a press conference on Monday
the head of Puebla’s State Attorney General’s Office
said: "So far I cannot offer information
we will be in a position to provide more information."
The murder rate continues to climb in Mexico, which saw 30,000 people killed in 2023, the most recent year for available data. It marked the most violent year in the country’s recent history, with the majority of the killings connected to the drugs trade.
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Print reporting from MIAHUATLAN
Mexico — When it’s time to distill their mescal
Apart from a cat nap and a small break here and there
the second- and third-generation mescal producers stay by their still
washing and rewashing the components between batches
and hauling fermented maguey to the vessel
a centuries-old distillate of agave consumed predominantly by Mexicans
It’s stirred and shaken by mixologists from New York to San Francisco to Berlin
which derives from the traditional methods that artisans like Manuel and Victor still utilize
The father and son have met some of these enthusiasts
before they turn off onto dirt roads edged with the pale green maguey destined for distillation
Though the value of Victor’s business has boomed
Victor’s own father worked as a day laborer for another mezcalero
then scrimped and saved until he could rent a piece of property
left school in fourth grade to help his father
it was better to work than go to school,” he says
says he owes his own knowledge to his father’s careful eye
and everything comes out perfectly,” he said
Foreigners are pulled here by the drink itself
but they also come because they wish to witness the creation of mescal
a process far more complex than can be fathomed from thousands of miles away
Here they learn not only the sticky smell that hangs over production — heavy and sweet
like roasting squash bathed in syrup — but also its sounds
tastes and the variations in method from one family to the next
terrain and fermentation method leave a thumbprint on each batch
Artisans are committed to using many types of maguey
some of which grow wild and can take 25 years to reach maturity
There’s no easy way of catching up to demand — just plant maguey now and wait
a massive hole has been dug out of the earth
to be used as an oven when the maguey is ready to be cooked
1/12 Manuel Ramos Sanchez
harvest a mature maguey to produce mescal in Miahuatlan
2/12 Victor Ramos Lucas plows with bulls as he prepares to plant more agave
3/12 Victor Ramos Lucas packs maguey that has been roasted
crushed and fermented into a bucket along with fermented maguey juice
4/12 Natalia Sanchez Bustamante prepares breakfast while Victor Ramos Lucas talks about mescal production
5/12 The sun rises as Victor Ramos Lucas walks through his new baby maguey plantation
6/12 Manuel Ramos Sanchez bottles distilled mescal
7/12 Manuel Ramos Sanchez replants a small maguey after it has been uprooted by wild animals
8/12 Victor Ramos Lucas sits in the shade in front of his home after spending a long afternoon harvesting maguey for mescal production
9/12 Manuel Ramos Sanchez
and Victor Ramos Lucas stand in front of their maguey plants
an essential ingredient in their mescal production
10/12 Manuel Ramos Sanchez creates bubbles in the distilled mescal as a way to inspect its quality
11/12 Distilled mescal pours out into a funnel
12/12 Natalia Sanchez Bustamante prepares lunch
There’s the task of journeying into the hillsides surrounding the palenque
to search for wild maguey — be it the tobala or tepeztate variety — ready to be harvested and carved down to its piña
the heart that’s revealed when the spines are cut back
Victor and Manuel use a large stone wheel to crush the cooked maguey
a task accomplished with the strength of two bulls
Mezcaleros use all manner of vessels for fermentation — barrels
a bar and mescal education center in Oaxaca
a type of mescal usually made for celebrations
in which the distiller hangs a raw chicken breast over the batch as it ferments
a glimpse of this in person revealed a chicken looking not so raw anymore
and chipped away from the bone when the distiller gave it a few hard taps
Iguana and octopus are sometimes used in its stead
take a whiff and see whether you detect alcohol or the deep scent of roasted maguey
a bit like a pumpkin pie in the oven at Thanksgiving
you can trust your drink was not watered down or mixed with inferior product
look for pearl-like bubbles that hang around for a few seconds
holding half a coconut shell out to collect the freshly distilled mescal
then sucking it up through a reed and blowing it back again into the shell to agitate
he ensures the bubbles are forming properly and the alcohol content is still up to his standard
Mescal production has been changed by modern “conveniences,” Victor was quick to point out
The shadows of bats danced on the walls as they dive-bombed mosquitoes
there was no electricity to light the long nights
whereas today a large cistern saves a few steps
Victor says mezcaleros once used woven baskets to transport the slosh of fermented maguey into the still
The plastic buckets he uses today are more precious than they appear
just a large stone hammer and the force of his body to crush tons of maguey
Another change profoundly affects the final product: Victor now elects just a single variety out of two dozen or so types of maguey when he makes a batch
Foreign consumers want to taste a karwinski or cuixe
as they would a Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio
As Victor walks his bulls around and around
and it was one of the few ways men and women could meet one another
A young man would spot a woman from far away
and write her parents a letter with a request for marriage
Did the letter contain certain personal information
A description of why he should be considered a worthy husband
“You looked at the way he worked in the field
if he was a hard worker.” If the answer was yes
the women took care of the goats and when her parents weren’t around you’d try to talk to her.”
But one thing that hasn’t changed is the time and care it takes to produce mescal the way Victor’s father taught him
So he and Manuel get by with little sleep until the 12-night process is through
many mezcaleros are trying to establish their brand
But father and son don’t have a name for their mescal
drive to Miahuatlan and ask around until you find the right dirt road
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