Three of Los Damasos Arrested for the Murder of BCS Reporter Max

Translated by Yaqui for Borderland Beat from Zeta

Facing Fifty Years in Prison for the Execution of Max

Carlos Alvarez for Zeta
June 1, 2017

The Security Coordination Group in Baja California Sur reported on the arrest - during an operation deployed last Tuesday in La Paz, Baja California Sur - of Juan "N", José "N" and Sergio "N", alleged perpetrators of the homicide of the journalist Maximino Rodríguez Palacios, committed last April 14 in the parking lot of a shopping center where he had gone shopping with his wife, who was unscathed.

Max and his Buddies

Max 

 Maximino Rodriguez Palacios, 72 years old at the time of his death, was a spokesman for the High Court of Justice and the PGJE, in addition, he worked as a correspondent for El Heraldo and Excélsior. Since 2014 he collaborated in the Colectivo Pericú, a portal of news and citizen denunciations. In addition, he wrote the column "Es mi Opinión", which addressed issues of security and politics.  

The three defendants were detained by elements of the Federal Police (PF) and the State Police in the colony El Progreso, BCS capital, along with six people who were found in possession of six long arms and presumed  to be  members of the criminal group "Los Dámaso", related to at least nine criminal acts that occurred in the entity, and which also operated in Los Cabos. A total of nine men were detained in the May 30 operation at a house in La Paz, BCS. They were detained with what was described as an arsenal.

"Los Dámaso" is a group that directed Dámaso López Núñez, one of the alleged new leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel, who was arrested in Mexico City on May 2.

"During the research work, specialized elements were provided in the area of ​​freedom of expression and the release of highly specialized expert investigations, which allowed us to determine the probable responsibilities in the present case." Said Ricardo Sánchez Pérez del Pozo, Specialist for Crimes Against Freedom of Expression (Feadle).

"Our commitment to focus all institutional efforts to resolve all cases of attacks on journalists in our country and to continue working hand in hand with the journalistic guild and organized civil society," said the federal prosecutor.

BCS prosecutor Palemón Alamilla Villeda stated that it has been possible to establish from the investigations that the aggression against the communicator was probably due to the exercise of his profession. 

"Based on the full coordination between agents of the Public Ministry of the Common and Federal Courts, it was possible to obtain sufficient evidence to prove the probable participation of Juan 'N', José 'N' and Sergio 'N', in the homicide of the communicator , So they could face up to 50 years in prison," said the state official.

He also said that as part of the investigations, information was obtained from different chambers, shops and individuals, including videos from various surveillance cameras in the area where the journalist was executed, a very popular commercial square in the capital of BCS.

Max was Gunned Down While Shopping with his Wife 

For its part, the Attorney General's Office (PGR) reported that the three likely perpetrators of Rodríguez Palacios's murder were arrested after 45 days of investigations.

"During 45 days, the Attorney General of Justice of Baja California Sur (PGJE) and the PGR, through the FEADLE, carried out investigation in office and field, that led to establish the probability that the aggression against the communicator is related directly to the exercise of his profession," the agency said in a statement.

"Regarding the investigation initiated by FEADLE, the PGR Delegation in BCS and the PGJE carried out various expert investigations in which ballistics, criminalistics, lofoscopía, (study of finger prints)  legal medicine, among others, were obtained. Its opportunity, obtaining two search warrants for real buildings located in this capital, which resulted in the relationship of those now detained in the investigation to the death of the communicator, "said the PGR.