Two Women And Five Men Executed, CDS Incursion into La Línea's Territory, Guerrero, Chihuahua

"HEARST" and "Sol Prendido" for Borderland Beat

In the early hours of the morning, five burnt bodies were found in a pick up truck on a road in Guerrero, Chihuahua. Later that same day, the dead bodies of two bound and injured women were discovered in the middle of the highway on the border between the municipalities of Cuauhtémoc and Guerrero. Their interrogation tape is later released online.

As previously covered on Borderland Beat, just last Tuesday, July 20 2021, five men were found dead inside a vehicle in Ejido Calaveras, in the municipality of Guerrero, Chihuahua. The five men, suspected of being in the process of illegally logging, were killed when an unknown armed group attacked them. Now another five dead bodies have been found on a road in the same municipality. 

On the morning of July 25 2021, the emergency line received a civilian report of an burned out pickup truck being spotted on a road in Guerrero, Chihuahua. Responding to this report, police arrived on scene and found five burned bodies located in a calcined pickup truck on a road leading from Rancho de Santiago to the municipality of Ignacio Zaragoza. All bodies were later found to be male. According to the authorities, three bodies were found in the back of the truck and two others were found on the rear seats of the pickup truck. 

Later, authorities revealed that three of the individuals found were originally from Zaragoza, while the remaining two were originally from the municipality of Matachíc. Jesús Manuel Carrasco, prosecutor for the western zone, commented that none of the five men had been reported as missing. 

Later that same day, two women were found dead on the Cuauhtémoc-La Junta highway, right on the border between the municipalities of Cuauhtémoc and Guerrero. Their two dead bodies were found lying in the middle of the two lanes of the highway, laying in full view of the dozens of motorists driving at this time. 

Investigators found that both women were bound, with their hands tied together with brown tape. Their heads were also wrapped with the same type of brown tape covering their eyes. Reportedly between 7-9 casings from 223 caliber ammunition was found near the two bodies. 

One woman was wearing blue jeans and a beige blouse. She was found to have injuries consistent with being hit, with various blows to the body in addition to gunshot injuries. The second woman was found wearing black shorts and a black blouse. She too was found to have injuries consistent with being hit in addition to gunshot injuries. 

Later, one of the women was identified as Cruz B. R. who was 39 years old. She worked as a teacher and lived in Anáhuac, Cuauhtémoc municipality. The other woman was identified as Ana Carolina B. P. who was 37 years old. She was unemployed and also lived in Anáhuac, Cuauhtémoc. Both reportedly played softball on the Laguneras de Anáhuac team. The following video is safe for all to watch, only an interrogation is seen, no graphic content.

Video Source: Omnia

Interrogation tapes of the two women found on the road later emerged online. In the videos the two women are seen to be tied up and they are being asked about facts related to local drug trafficking.

Video translation is as follows:

Captive #1: Jose Nava aka “El Caballo” would sell it to us. Along with his stepson Mario and his wife Rachel. Jose is known as the “Lord of the Rings”. And Angel Maldonado got us that connect with him. Captive #2: Jose is the one who would sell it. Along with his wife and son. They call him “El Caballo”. Him and Mario…”The Lord of the Rings” would also sell to us. He’s the one who gave is that connect with Angel aka “El Podrido”.  

Sicario: What do they call him? Captive #2: They called him “El Kolachi”. We would sell for “El Kolachi” on the weekends. Along with my husband. (At 00:58, the charging handle of a rifle can be heard being pulled) Sicario: And who the fuck is your husband? Captive #2: My husband’s name is Cruz Bejarano. Sicario: “Irava”? Captive #2: Yes sir. Sicario: What would y’all inject yourselves with? Captive #2: With crystal meth. Sicario: What? Captive #2: With crystal meth.

Please note that there is nothing to suggest that this execution is related to the five men found dead prior. The cartel names mentioned in the video have not been identified as belonging to La Linea or the Sinaloa Cartel as of the writing of this story. The two women's execution may just be related to local drug dealer disputes.

Prior to these recent attacks, Guerrero municipality has been allegedly held by La Línea. In south western Chihuahua, the traditional “cut-off” point between La Línea controlled area and Sinaloa Cartel (CDS) controlled area has been the town of Creel, in Bocoyna municipality, with the areas south being controlled by CDS and the areas north, which include Guerrero, being controlled by La Línea.

Moris and Ocampo are considered to be strongholds of La Línea's Los Hs, which have already been discussed at length this month in prior reporting. The municipalities surrounding such as Guerrero are thought to have a strong Los Hs influence but are contested by CDS intermittently.

In the areas more towards the central part of southern Chihuahua like Nonoava and San Francisco de Borja, CDS has been able to claim areas more north of the Creel “cut off point”. In particular, a CDS group called Gente Nueva del Tigre is thought to control Nonoava, Cusihuiriachi, San Francisco de Borja, Carichí municipalities according to El Heraldo de Chihuahua newspaper. Based on these locations, they are the CDS cell with the most access to Guerrero, making them the primary suspect in these attacks.

Gente Nueva del Tigre is allegedly led by Edgar Alfredo Gamboa Sosa, alias El Tigre Blanco. His brother, Raul Gamboa Sosa alias “El Cabo” famously had a falling out with La Línea which eventually led to his execution at the hands of La Línea members.

Other CDS groups in close proximity to Guerrero include a group led by José Noriel Portillo Gill, alias “El Chueco” which allegedly controls Urique and the aforementioned south-of-Creel area of Bocoyna municipality. And a CDS group led by Melquiades Díaz Meza, alias “El Chapo Calin” which allegedly controls Guachochi.

El Heraldo de Chihuahua reports that according to intelligence areas of the State Attorney General's Office, at the beginning of 2021, El Chueco and El Tigre Blanco formed an alliance. This alliance was formed in order to obtain control of the region that falls between north Urique up to the city of Cuauhtémoc from La Línea. Guerrero, notably, falls within this region. In the February article, El Heraldo asserts that a total of 38 deaths, from La Línea or CDS, had occurred so far as a result of this push and the subsequent fight against an incursion.

Sources: El Sol de Parral, El Diario de Chihuahua Article 1, Article 2 , Norte Digital, Net Noticias, El Heraldo de Chihuahua, Por la Libre, Entre Lineas

Update 7/29/21 10:00 AM CST: "Cruz Hervano" changed to "Cruz Bejarano" in video translation. Thank you to commenter Billy Jean.