Ramon Gallardo “El Gato” Campista Assassinated in Sinaloa

Translated by Yaqui for Borderland Beat from: Debate

                                     The smile on the face of "El Gato" before being killed

Extra Material from El Sol

Ramón Gallardo Camper, "El Gato", leader of the ''Los Pintos'' and ''Los Gallardos'' was found dead, his body was located on the side of the Mexico-Nogales highway, in the municipality of Cosalá ,  on his chest was a message that said he was accused of kidnapping.

The alleged drug trafficker Ramón N, alias "El Gato" Camper" , was involved in and/or led the infamous massacre of 12 people in the community of Ajoya, San Ignacio, and was found executed yesterday at dawn near La Cruz de Elota.

According to the information available, his body was located at 02:30 am at the intersection of the International Mexico 15 and the road to Cosalá.

The police officers indicated that when they arrived at the place they did not know who he was, until they made the first investigative steps they were able to establish that he was the most wanted gaucho from Sinaloa, and that his area of ​​operations was the Sierra de Cosalá, Concordia, San Ignacio and some parts of Nayarit and Durango.

The authorities indicated that he was the leader of at least 100 gatilleros, ie gunmen and that he was a dominate player in the region's drug trafficking. He was originally from El Caballo de Arriba with his center of operations in San Ignacio and has a long criminal history in La Zona Serrana (The Sierras) of the central and southern parts of the state of Sinaloa.

Considered the number one of the most wanted in Sinaloa during the periods of the governors Juan S. Millán and Jesús Aguilar Padilla, Ramón Gallardo Campista , alias " El Gato ", who was found tortured murdered and was the most wanted after the 2002 assassination of 12 people in the community of San Jerónimo de la Ajoya , a crime he committed with the "Los Gallardos" and "Los Pintos."

In addition he is tied to the Arellanos Felix Cartel and has carried out kidnappings and assaults for years.

Ramón Campista, "El Gato" , is accused of ''sowing''  fear into  hundreds of families in the mountainous area of ​​Sinaloa and Durango, was found dead on the morning of September 21 by agents of the Federal Highway Police and they indicated that the body had bullet wounds.

After his death, social networks circulated an image of the face of "El Gato" where he appears sitting with a smile and with his hands tied, his eyes lost with other armed men.

Before the official  news was announced many doubted that it was " El Gato ", wanted by the justice since 2002, for being the alleged responsible for one of the worst massacres in Sinaloa , where 12 people lost their lives, including two women, a minor and a couple of police officers, while celebrating Mothers' Day in the community of Ajoya, San Ignacio.

Regarding the issue, the Attorney General's Office initiated the forensic work for its official identification, but has not given the details of the death of "El Gato" .

On May 10, 2002, the massacre took place in San Jerónimo de Ajoya, San Ignacio:

It is presumed that those responsible were led by Ramón Campita, better known as "El Gato", who at the time was an alleged drug trafficker of the Arellano Félix cartel .

It was a night of celebration in the community of San Jerómino de Ajoya. The villagers celebrated the traditional Mother's Day party in the community square, when a blast from a Cuerno de Chivo, ie AK47 (goat horn)  took the attendees by surprise. 

                                                    " FALs " ( Exclusive Use by the Army ? )

Present were most members of the community; women, children, young and elderly. Between 9 -10 pm that night the music was interrupted by the horrible sounds of AR15s being fired , along with the AK47's, FALs light assault rifles used by at least 25 heavily armed men approaching through alleyways ; along with the sounds of panic, screaming of the frightened , injured and dying and the smell of gunpowder. 

A group of armed men surprised two agents of the 0082 patrol of the State Preventive Police, who lost their lives in that massacre, which also took the lives of 10 more people. 

Since then, "El Gato" was a fugitive from justice, along with 17 others involved who have failed to be apprehended. After 16 years, 4 months and ten days, "El Gato" was found executed, not by special forces, soldiers nor municipal police. He was found captured , tortured and executed by a rival criminal group.

The message left with "El Gato", written in black on a white back round which was left on his chest said: " Por Fin cayó Rámon Gallardo, alias "El Gato", tanto tiempo anduvimos tras de ti, pero a cada chango se llegala hora y te toco a ti. Alli está ese secuestrador que daño hizo a la gente".

"Finally Rámon Gallardo, alias ''El Gato" falls, so much time we have been behind you, but the hour arrives for each "chango" and now it touches you. Here is this kidnapper that did damage to the people".

The deputy prosecutor of the southern zone, Cruz Alejandro Flores Salazar, argued that up until the printing  of this edition, the man who was found shot dead at kilometer 106 of the free highway Mazatlán-Culiacán, at the junction that goes to Cosalá,  had NOT been identified. 

The body was transferred to the port Semefo to perform the corresponding autopsy and waiting to be claimed by his relatives. 

The news of the death of "El Gato" has  dozens of families  thinking of returning to their homes in the mountains of Tamazula, Durango and Sinaloa, although they fear that conflicts between armed groups will intensify after the death of the feared gatillero, ie hitman or gunman.