Authorities confirmed the grim discovery of five murdered members of the regional Mexican band Grupo Fugitivo, who had been missing since May 25. The musicians were kidnapped while traveling near Reynosa, a city plagued by cartel violence along the Texas border. They were en route to a scheduled performance when they vanished around 10 p.m.
The remains of the musicians were later found on the outskirts of Reynosa. Authorities arrested nine individuals believed to be connected to a faction of the Gulf Cartel, which maintains a significant presence in the region. While the motive remains unconfirmed, some reports stated the bodies had been burned, further fueling speculation.
Grupo Fugitivo specialized in regional Mexican music, including cumbia and corridos. Although some artists in this genre glorify drug cartels through their lyrics, it is unclear if Grupo Fugitivo was associated with such content or simply became victims of indiscriminate cartel violence that dominates the region.
The last message from the group to their families indicated they were en route to the show. After that, there was no further contact. Their disappearance and subsequent deaths shocked the community, prompting families and citizens to demand justice and answers from authorities.
In response, protests erupted, including the blockage of the international bridge between Reynosa and Pharr, Texas. A public prayer gathering was also held at a local cathedral. The tragedy recalls a similar incident in 2018, when another local band, Los Norteños de Río Bravo, was kidnapped and murdered, underscoring Tamaulipas’s persistent security crisis.
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