The Missing Boys of Culiacán, Sinaloa

"HEARST" for Borderland Beat

Last month, four high school boys went missing after watching a motorcycle race in a town just north of Culiacán, Sinaloa, which is an area which has been marked by cartel violence in recent years. For almost a month the families have not been updated on the progress in the investigation into their disappearance. On July 9, the families of missing boys led a march to demand answers and updates on the investigation.

The Disappearance

Two teenage brothers, Kevin Alfredo Valdez Meza and Jesus Vicente Manjarrez Valdez, ages 13 and 15 years old respectively, left their home in the Jesus Valdez neighborhood of Culiacán, Sinaloa, on June 14, 2021. They left their home riding a motorbike and they were headed in the direction of the Bicentenario neighborhood in order to meet with their two friends, Gerardo Esteban Urbano Sanchez and Joshuan Antonio Jurado Morgan, both 15 years old. All four boys are currently in high school and are taking virtual classes due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sometime after the four teenage friends met up in the Bicentenario area, a family member called one of the boys. The boy told the family member over the phone that the four of them were planning on heading out to the Humaya river area in order to watch a motorcycle race. 

Cell phone ping location data, that was collected by law enforcement later, corroborates that following the phone call with the family member, the boys traveled to the banks of the Humaya River, near the town of Mojolo which is just outside of Culiacán on the north side. After some time, the cell phone pings show that the boys began travelling back towards their homes. At approximately 5pm, as they reached a location in between the Lomas de Rodriguera and Los Mezcales neighborhoods, the boys disappeared. At some point the cellphones were reportedly turned off or destroyed so they ceased to ping off cell towers. 

One of the boy's mothers described the cell phone location data saying “Actually the cell phone gives the path that they did travel, but they came back. They got lost between La Loma, Los Mezcales. That is where they got lost. That is where it is more or less, it is turned off, from La Loma, they did not leave La Loma.”

At the time of their disappearance Jesus Vicente was wearing a black t-shirt with the image of a bunny, black jeans, black flip flops and a black baseball cap. Kevin was wearing a red polo shirt, black jeans, black flip flops and a black “Chavo del 8” baseball cap. Gerardo Esteban was last seen wearing a black t-shirt, black jeans and a black baseball cap. Joshuan Antonio was wearing a navy blue t-shirt with the words "Yenon", black pants, and white tennis shoes with red stripes. 

The Immediate Aftermath

When the boys did not return home by dark, their parents began to worry as the boys reportedly did not stay overnight anywhere without telling their parents ahead of time.  Their disappearance was reported by their families to the State Attorney General's Office, which issued the “alert cards” or missing person posters which detailed information about the boys. The State Attorney General's Office also activated an Amber Alert for the 4 boys. Meanwhile, the boys’ family and friends began to search for them around Culiacan. 

Elizabeth Valdez Meza, the mother of Kevin Alfredo and Jesus Vicente, described going out to look for them on foot, "There is no trace of any child, we are going to look for them in the rivers. In Jotagua we have asked but no one has seen them. The days since they disappeared have been sad, but I have faith that I will find them. I feel that I will find them. They were not bad. They were not bad. Why would they do anything bad to them if they did not do anything? They were good my children. They have to return. I have faith." 

Elizabeth describes her children as serious, saying they hardly went out and that they worked as bricklayers. She says they had no enemies and she does not understand why anyone would want to harm them. The other two boys are described in a similar fashion. 

"They didn't mess with anyone, they weren't troublemakers, in fact they didn't even go out on the street," said Esteban Urbano Garcia, father of Gerardo Esteban. Urbano Garcia describes that his son is a young worker who supported him in the construction trade.

"The only thing I want is that they deliver my son well. I am more concerned about his motivation, the only thing I ask of my God is that he be delivered to me in good health. May God be the one to do everything for him", said Urbano García.

The Cartel Landscape of the Area 

The area where the teenage boys went missing, between Lomas de Rodriguera and Los Mezcales, is north of Culiacán city. This region also includes the towns of Tepuche and Agua Caliente, which are roughly 12 minutes away from Lomas de Rodriguera. 

In 2020, this area was under heavy dispute between two factions of the Sinaloa Cartel (CDS). A CDS cell from the Ismael Zambada Garcia “El Mayo” side, led by Jesús Alexander Sánchez Félix alias “El Ruso” fought for control against another CDS cell from the Los Chapitos’ side, led by Nestor Ernesto Pérez Salas alias “El Nini”. El Nini himself was apparently born in this area, in Agua Caliente specifically.

According to Riodoce newspaper, in November 2019, El Nini rolled into Agua Caliente with a convoy of eight cloned Sinaloa State Police vans. At that time the area was controlled by El Mayo. In a day-to-day sense, it was left under the control of El Ruso, Mayo's operational chief in the area. One particular hitman from El Nini’s convoy reportedly had heated words with El Ruso’s men who questioned the incoming convoy.

This November exchange was allegedly the spark that lit the powder keg and between December 2019 and March 2020 there were a series skirmishes and conflict between the two groups. On March 6, 2020 the brother, of someone close to El Ruso was nearly killed in Loma de Rodriguera, the same neighborhood the boys went missing in.

In the areas near Culiacán in 2021, these cartel disputes were not nearly as strongly felt as they were in 2020. It appears that the heat has seemed to die down near Culiacán. It is unclear who currently controls the neighborhoods where the boys disappeared.

The Growing Frustration

On July 9, 2021, relatives of four missing teenage boys marched from the Cathedral of Culiacán to the building of the Federal State Prosecutor's Office. Upon arriving at the facilities of the State Prosecutor's Office, the families began to shout for the prosecutor to come out, however, only an emissary came out to inform that not even the deputy prosecutor was present at that moment, which caused indignation and even tears from some of those present.

Elizabeth Valdez Meza, mother of Kevin Alfredo and Jesus Vicente, told reporters that the authorities have not provided her with updates on the progress of the investigation. The silence of the community has also frustrated her, saying “The neighbors in these neighborhoods [Lomas de Rodriguera and Los Mezcales] do not speak, do not say anything. Someone had to see if someone took the four minors who are almost children!”

According to Revista Espejo, the phenomenon of missing persons continues to grow day by day in Sinaloa, to the extent that the number of missing persons cases now ranks above murders in the state. According to official figures, around 3,800 people are missing in the state.

In just the last two weeks in Culiacán there have been three marches by families of missing persons. The practice of hosting marches has become almost standard. The prevailing belief of loved ones of missing persons is that it is only after social media pressure and news coverage of marches that investigators from the State Attorney General’s Office really begin to look into a case.

Sources: La Jornada, Noroeste, Riodoce, El Sol de Sinaloa, Televisa News Article 1, Article 2, Tribuna, Debate Article 1, Article 2, Article 3, Luz Noticias, Revista Espejo, Vivavoz, Culichi News

Background Sources: Riodoce, El Sol de Sinaloa, Infobae