Kidnapping and murder of Americans in Mexico: 5 people arrested

BET À DAY

Mexican authorities announced on Friday the arrest of five people suspected of involvement in the kidnapping a week ago of four Americans and the murder of two of them in Matamoros, in the north -east of the country.

These are the five men that alleged members of the Gulf Cartel (CDG) allegedly abandoned on a street in Matamoros on Thursday, accusing them of carrying out the kidnapping without the authorization of their leaders within this criminal organization, a prosecutor's office source told AFP.

Previously Tamaulipas state prosecutor Irving Barrios tweeted that he had “executed a warrant for the arrest of five people related to to the events of March 3 in Matamoros for the crimes of aggravated kidnapping and intentional homicide”.

On Thursday, local media reported, without official confirmation, that the Gulf Cartel issued a letter of apology for the kidnapping and two murders and handed over the alleged perpetrators to authorities.

Until present, the Mexican prosecutor's office had only reported the arrest of a single suspect, who stood guard near the kidnapped persons.

The four Americans had crossed the border driving a minivan white registered in North Carolina before being targeted by gunfire and then abducted by gunmen in the border town of Matamoros. Mexican authorities quickly raised the possibility of a “misunderstanding”.

Of the four Americans abducted, two died and two were later found, one with gunshot wounds and the other unscathed, in the outskirts of Matamoros. A Mexican bystander was also killed in the exchange of fire.

The bodies of the two dead Americans were repatriated to the United States on Thursday, authorities said.