Three Mexican Film Students Were Murdered and Dissolved in Acid

Outrage and disbelief is spreading throughout Mexico after authorities in Jalisco announced that three film students reported missing were killed and dissolved in acid. The suspects are members of Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG). 

In a news conference, members of Jalisco’s Attorney General’s Office announced that they arrested two of eight cartel members in connection to the murder of film students Javier Salomon Aceves Gastelum (25), Jesús Daniel Díaz García (20), and Marco Francisco García Ávalos (20). While the students are not linked to any cartels, they were filming for an school assignment at a cabin believed to be owned by a cartel member. The cabin is owned by the aunt of one of the students; the woman is believed to be linked to a local cartel that is at odds with CJNG.

#EnDirecto | Rueda de prensa en torno a la investigación de los estudiantes de cine desaparecidos en Tonalá. https://t.co/slMTLQdN67

— Fiscalía de Jalisco (@FiscaliaJal) April 23, 2018

According to Lizette Torres, the head of investigations for the Jalisco Attorney General’s Office, the three film students were kidnapped on March 19 while filming a school assignment in Tonalá. The students were tortured, murdered, and dissolved in an acid. Investigators recovered what they believe to be are the remains and are carrying out forensic testing to confirm their initial findings.

Investigators revealed they had carried out 400 interviews and raided 15 cabins where they seized six vehicles and 15 weapons. Authorities found 45 vats filled with sulfuric acid and human remains that they believe belong to as many as 20 different victims. 

Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Texas. He co-founded the Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and Stephen K. Bannon.  You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at Iortiz@breitbart.com.

Brandon Darby is managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded the Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and Stephen K. Bannon. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at bdarby@breitbart.com.