Correction: Murdered deported migrant story, was not quite as it seemed…

Scene of shootout

Readers:

We pride ourselves at Borderland Beat on posting stories that are from good sources, and look for a secondary source if warranted.

We also are not above admitting to an error.

This post from “Think Progress”, featured Constantino Morales.  Morales was  a deportee who warned that he would be killed (by narcos) if deported, and shortly after his arrival back in Guerrero, his prediction became reality and he was killed. Morales was a former municipal police in Guerrero. 

Feeling uneasy about the story, I contacted DD sharing that the story did not feel right, that there was zero information about the manner or place of death.  Saying he died in Guerrero was too vague, yet that was the only information the publication provided.

DD shared my concern and wrote to the Iowa newspaper that ran the story.

I continued researching regions of Guerrero using his name, and found nothing.

Then today a reader sent an article from a regional news outlet telling the complete and truthful story.

That post is republished below.

It is sad that stories such as this will give fodder to those who are against immigration and have disdain for migrants, the large majority of migrants are good, hardworking, honest people.

We regret posting the story, but I hope readers can respect the fact we are making the correction with this update.

Borderland Beat Administrators

Chivis and DD

Story from la Lider

By Francisco Javier Hernandez

Azoyu, Guerrero

Translated by DD

Huehuetán Deja A Tres Personas Muertas; Convivían Entre Sí” (Shootout in Huehuetán kills three; they had been partying), 

Radio La Lider 88.9 reported on a drunken shootout at a baptism party that resulted in three gunmen dying.

On Sunday night there was a shootout during a gathering that was held in the town of Huehuetán, Azoyú municipality, which resulted in 3 people killed by gunfire.  .

The events happened at approximately at 9:00 in the evening, at the home of Bertha Tapia Javier,  which is located very close to the Health Center, where the three people who were killed had been drinking ,and gotten into a heated discussion giving rise to to them drawing their firearms, , leaving a toll of three dead.

The victims were Constantine Morales Roque, 42 years of age; Ruperto Javier Marín, 57, and his brother Juan Javier Marín, 62, all of them residents of the town of Huehuetán, belonging to the municipality of Azoyú.

After they talked awhile the three men got into a heated discussion and Morales accused the Javier Marin brothers of an gunning down a member of his family in a pool hall last October.  That triggered the gun battle in which Morales mortally wounded the brothers, but they shot back and gravely injured Morales.  A nephew of the Javier Marin brothers who had not been involved in the argument rushed into the gunfight to avenge his uncles and mortally wounded Morales before fleeing the scene.

Morales  was shot 11 times with 9mm bullets. One of the shots hit him in the chest, 5 in his right side, three in the right arm, and two in his left arm.  Ruperto Javier Marín was hit in the  chest, abdomen and one of his feet, while his brother John had two bullets in the abdomen.

The two brothers were transferred to the General Hospital of Ometepec but died en route to the hospital. 

Elements of the Ministerial Police arrived on the scene and guarded the premises while waiting on investigators from Ministeria Publico to arrive.