Close to 30 Bodies, Some Beheaded, Found Buried Clandestinely in Irapuato, Guanajuato

"Morogris" for Borderland Beat

Forensic specialists taking the bodies to the local morgue for further identification (photo credit: El Sol de Irapuato)

The discovery of clandestine graves in the state of Guanajuato continues. In less than two weeks, investigators have found close to 30 bodies in three different points in Irapuato Municipality.

In the rural community of Juventino Rosas, 12 bodies were exhumed from a clandestine mass grave. Searches in an abandoned parcel of land resulted in 7 more bodies this week. In the nearby rural communities of San Javier and Rosario de Covarrubias, 8 more bodies were found, totaling 27 bodies in these three locations in Irapuato.

The investigations began when nearby residents reported there was a dead man semi-buried in a parcel of land. 

The identity of most buried victims are unknown. A man who lived nearby was able to recognize one of the bodies, and said that the victim was nicknamed "El Cubano". He was able to recognize him due to the clothes he was wearing.

At least 8 of the victims were decapitated and had bullet wounds in multiple parts of their bodies.

The area where the clandestine graves were located is large and covers several rural properties. Authorities say it is likely that more bodies are buried in this location. They are unsure how long the bodies had been in these mass graves.

A witness spoke with National Guard members and said that he had seen vehicles at the location where the bodies were found weeks prior.

"They were driving nice trucks and I noticed they were not from around here. They would say good morning to us and leave. I thought they were looking at the land to buy it", he said.

Searchers digging at the mass grave scene (photo credit: El Sol del Bajio)

Borderland Beat Analysis

As reported by Borderland Beat, Irapuato is one of the municipalities that has been hit the hardest by violence and crime, where reports of missing persons between 2019 and 2020 exceed one hundred, according to reports made by relatives themselves on a page dedicated to finding missing people.

Since the start of Mexico's drug war, some 80,000 people have gone missing across the country. Many are believed to be buried in clandestine mass graves (referred to in Mexico as fosas or narcofosas). These graves serve as depositories for drug gangs looking for a discrete place to hide the executed bodies of their rivals or victims. Bodies are often not all dumped at once, but rather accumulate over a period of time. 

Guanajuato is one of the most violent states in Mexico due to the dispute between Santa Rosa de Lima (CSRL) and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).

Sources: Periodico AM; Milenio; El Sol del Bajio; La Silla Rota