Authorities Arrest 'El Tolteca', One of the Masterminds of the LeBarón Family Massacre

"Morogris" for Borderland Beat

Note: Several sources mistaken Freddy Calles Romero ("El Tolteca" and "Cóndor 1") with Leonel Toscano Cuevas ("El Tigre").

The Mexican Army announced yesterday that they arrested Freddy Calles Romero ("El Tolteca" and/or "Condor 1"), one of the masterminds of the 2019 massacre where nine members of the LeBaron family were killed by La Linea cartel hitmen in Bavispe, Sonora.

Adrian LeBaron, the family's spokesperson, confirmed the arrest on Twitter.

"Today I was informed of the arrest of El Tolteca, one of the main suspects in the massacre against my daughter Ronhita, my grandchildren and more relatives. This capture is very timely since it represents that a criminal, who was able to participate in the killing of innocent women and children, will leave the streets and be in prison. I hope he will pay for each of his illegal acts," Adrian LeBaron tweeted. 

In addition, he acknowledged that those in charge of handling the case were doing their job adequately and stressed that the results were "remarkable" thus far.

El Tolteca appeared before a judge yesterday for his preliminary hearing. The judge confirmed that El Tolteca's arrest in Moris, Chihuahua, was legal, and proceeded to keep him under preventative detention while the prosecution gathers more evidences.

Investigators confirmed that El Tolteca had two arrest warrants against him. The prosecution thus proceeded to charge him with homicide, organized crime involvement, and drug trafficking. He is currently imprisoned at the Federal Social Readaptation Center No. 1 ("Altiplano"), Mexico's maximum-security prison. 

Judicial archives show that El Tolteca had been in prison before. In 2008, a judge in Sonora absolved him of a bribery charged after determining that the evidences against him were insufficient. In the same indictment, El Tolteca's accomplice José Luis Báez López and/or José Luis López Cota was convicted of illegal possession of military-exclusive firearms.

Family massacre and investigation

On November 4, 2019, in an area of ​​the Sierra Madre Occidental in the municipality of Bavispe, Sonora, members of La Línea fired from a van at the 3 vehicles where three women and 14 minors were traveling.

There were 9 fatalities: Rhonita Maria Miller, 30; Christina Marie Langford Johnson, 29; Dawna Ray Langford, 43; as well as 12-year-old Howard Jacob; Trevor Harvey, 11; 10-year-old Krystal Bellaine; 2-year-old Rogan; and Titus Alvin and Tiana Gricel, both barely 8 months old. At least seven children were injured.

Initial versions of the case reported that the massacre occurred due to a confusion. However, part of that hypothesis has been ruled out because those who were traveling in the vans told the attackers that only women and children were present.

This act of brutal violence shocked Mexico and the United States, to the point that former US President Donald Trump considered the possibility of designating drug cartels as terrorist groups.

The November 2019 massacre triggered an extensive manhunt against members of La Linea. According to Mexico's Attorney General's Office (FGR), over 20 people have been arrested for the massacre. As reported by Borderland Beat, there are at least 20 more suspects identified and at large.

Last February, a federal judge charged Wilbert Mendoza Lopez, alias 'La Parka', for his direct participation in the massacre. The FGR already has two other main suspects in custody: Jose Alfredo Lara Ontiveros, alias 'El Coma Lara' and/or 'Pelonete'; and Roberto Gonzalez Montes, alias 'El 32' and/or 'El Mudo'.

In March, authorities also arrested Alejandro Escarcega Adame, alias 'El Tocayo', 'El Loco', and/or 'El 15'. The following month, they arrested, Candelario Santos Jiménez ('Coma Santos'), a high-ranking member of La Linea implicated in the massacre.

Sources: La Silla Rota; El Financiero; El Sol de Mexico; Milenio; Proceso; El Bravo; Borderland Beat archives