Zeta plaza boss "El Fresa" shanked to death in Topo Chico Jail with 11 others wounded

Translated by Otis B Fly-Wheel for Borderland Beat from a Proceso article

[ Subject Matter: Mario Alberto Roldan Zuniga "El Fresa"
Recommendation: No prior subject matter knowledge required]

Reporter: Zeta Redaction
Monterrey N.L: A zeta plaza boss was assassinated with home made prison type knives (shanks) on Thursday night in the Topo Chico prison, during a riot in which 11 other prisoners were also injured, informed the Government of Nuevo Leon.

Mario Alberto Roldan Zuniga, "El Fresa", 32 years of age, originally from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, he was the zeta plaza boss in this town, and was detained in February of this year, for possession of drugs and fire arms in San Nicolas, the town from where he operated.




The capo contested charges of kidnapping. It has been suggested that "El Fresa" gave up information that assisted in the capture, in the town of San Pedro, this March, of Omar Trevino Morales, "El Z-42", alleged leader of the group in Mexico.

According to an official source, the riot broke out at 21:00 giving rise to the death of "El Fresa" and the injury of 11 others, whose injuries are not thought to be life threatening, although they were sent for evaluation to the University Hospital.

The forensic medical staff that attended found that Roldan Zuniga had more that ten stab puncture wounds. They did not give out information on where inside the old prison the riot had broken out.

The prisoners who were wounded were identified as:

• Arturo Eguia Gaitan
• Juan Daniel Martinez Munoz
• Juan de la Rosa Orozco
• Mario Hernandez Mendez
• Ricardo Jesus Flores Lerma
• Edgar Armardo Lopez Martinez
• David Lara Quinones
• Juan Jose Cortes Lara
• Martin Uriel Macias Guzman
• Javier Andres Soto Alvarado
• Jose Gerardo Salinas Gutierrez

The penitentiary authorities informed the families of the men involved in the events. they also advised that already they had transferred ten prisoners to prisons of Apodaca and Cadereyta to prevent new confrontations. The State Government said that the situation inside the prison had returned to normal.

The Citizens Association in support of Human Rights, lamented the tragic events of the riot and reproached the State Government, for failing in the constitutional mandate to organize the prison system on the basis of respect for human rights, and guarantee the life and safety of the prisoners.

"It is not the first time that violent deaths have occurred inside Topo Chico, it is urgent that they take steps to transform from bottom to top the organization and administration of the centre, with the goal of achieving their mission of social re adaption of those under their care, with a constant mark of respect in regards of human rights.

Original article in Spanish at Proceso