The Chief of the PEP is Executed

He was apprehended in 2008 by soldiers, accused of extortion.

Along with his bodyguards he was later released.

Tijuana, BC - José Angel Meza Valdez, Chief of the State Preventive Police (PEP) was executed on Saturday afternoon, as he was driving his own personal car, a Ford Focus with border plates, and it was presumed he was going to his place of work since he had mentioned that he was going to "stand guard".

The chief had been was arrested along with five of his bodyguards in April 2008 by members of the Mexican Army, accused of extorting a woman, yet all of suspects got out, and despite the arrest, they all continued to work within of the police agency.

The Secretary of the Public Safety Department of the State (SSPE) this afternoon confirmed the death of this agent who was 41 years old and who was allegedly attacked with firearms at around 1524 hours.

Authorities learned that the chief was travelling on board his personal vehicle on the boulevard Cucapáh to go to the facilities of the State Preventive Police in the zone Rio when the attack occurred.

The chief of the PEP joined the agency on November 10, 2004. The body of the chief was still inside his vehicle slumped toward the driver's seat.

In this regard, the state prosecutor's office stated that the killing occurred on the street Cucapáh and street Plan Libertador in the community Buenos Aires Norte, where besides the body of police chief, they also located 6 spent casings of 45 caliber.

His arrest

The arrest of Meza Valdez was recorded on April 21, 2008, when a man complained to authorities that this commander had "detained" his wife Sandra Castaneda, which he was driving around in his unit, while he was demanding 5,000 U.S. dollars in order for her release.

Supposedly state agents had previously arrived at the woman's house in the subdivision Mariano Matamoros, where they searched the house and afterwards they put her in a Pickup truck, where they were detected by elements of the military.

In his defense he said that the woman sold drugs and said that they were conducting an operation. Along with him were also arrested: José Aarón Coronado Ganda, Fernando Emmanuel Patiño Constantino, Álvaro Efrén Aburto Montalvo, Inés Navarrete Mariscal, Ángel Alfonso Fuentevilla Villalobos.