British Businessman Is Shot Dead In Front Of His Daughter, 14, In Mexico

"Sol Prendido" for Borderland Beat

Police have named and pictured the two men who carried out the execution style killing of businessman Chris Cleave in front of his teenage daughter.

They were named as 30-year-old Jose N and 18-year-old Lenin N.

The murder weapon was also recovered after police chased the pair as they fled on a motorbike.

Police in Cancun said one of the men tried to flee after jumping from the motorbike and was arrested hiding in undergrowth while the other continued on the motorbike to try and evade police.

Police released their photographs but as yet have not given a motive for the murder. 

Cleave was driving though the city of Cancun when two men ambushed him at the popular tourist resort.

The killers opened fire through the driver's side window, hitting the 54-year-old (pictured) in the head and killing him instantly

The killers opened fire through the driver's side window, hitting the 54-year-old in the head and killing him instantly.

His 14-year-old daughter was not hit but taken to hospital and treated for shock and minor injuries.

The two killers were later captured by police as they fled on a motorcycle.

Mr Cleave, who is originally from Truro, Cornwall, had lived in Mexico for more than a decade.

He became a permanent resident in 2013 and worked as an estate agent and property manager, according to police.

Mr Cleave's older brother Nick, who runs a watersports company in Falmouth, Cornwall, today told The Sun: 'We still can’t believe what has happened to Chris.

'We are all just trying to come to terms with his death and all we want to do now is gather the family around so that we can protect our elderly mother. 

'The family won’t be making any further statement at the moment and we would like to be able to grieve in private.' 

The state of Quintana Roo, which includes the resort of Cancun, has been the focus of increasing violence among drug cartels as they battle for control.

Police have named and pictured the two men who carried out the execution style killing of businessman Chris Cleave in front of his teenage daughter

There is no suggestion that Cleave was involved in drugs, but police are carrying out an investigation into why he was the subject of an execution style killing.

A police source said: 'This was not a random shooting but a targeted attack. He was chosen to be murdered.'

Local reports said a man thought to be Mr Cleave was threatened earlier this month along with two other men in a so-called narcomanta, a message left by a local drug cartel on a cloth banner, in an upmarket beach area of Playa del Carmen called Playacar. 

The message, written in Spanish and removed by the police soon after it appeared on March 5, said: 'This is for you [two names redacted] from Playacar, with Range Rover and Porsche cars and the secret partners of [local restaurant name].

'We are coming for you and the sale of your s**t. Also for you Cris, with the red Audi.'

Unconfirmed local reports at the time said the mystery men behind the intimidatory message wanted to sell their drugs there.

Local prosecutors confirmed two arrests had been made over the killing. There is no suggestion at this stage any illegal activity takes place at the restaurant referred to in the message.

A spokesman for Quintana Roo's State Prosecution Service said: 'We can confirm the arrest of two men who probably participated in the incident that took place on Saturday morning in which a foreigner living in the area lost his life.

'The weapon that was used has been recovered.' 

He is believed to have been followed as he left his home before being assassinated as he stopped in traffic.

Shocked friends of Cleave, pictured, who ran a property management company, expressed their grief at his murder on his Facebook page

Police said Cleave and his daughter were on the main federal highway in Playa del Carmen in a red Audi when the car was approached by two men on a motorbike while stopped in traffic.

Witnesses said the men opened fire though the open window, killing Cleave instantly.

His daughter was taken to the local hospital where she was treated for minor injuries. Local police said none of her injuries were life threatening.

The shooting took place at 9.30am on Saturday and police believe the killers had been following Cleave as he left his home.

When his car stopped in traffic they pounced and opened fire.

The killers sped away but were chased along the main Federal Highway by police and arrested.

Police said Cleave and his daughter were on the main federal highway in Playa del Carmen in a red Audi (pictured) when the car was approached by two men

On his Facebook page Cleave said he graduated from Penair Secondary School in 1986.

Shocked friends of Cleave, who ran a property management company, expressed their grief at his murder on his Facebook page.

Sue Steggles wrote: 'So very sad to have lost you Chris Cleave you were one of the good guys and taken far too young.

'I will look back on our Saturday nights with fondness, you were a big part of our life for such a long time.'

Posting photos of a fishing trip they shared, John Archer wrote: 'RIP this is the saddest news I have ever heard in my life.

There is no suggestion that Cleave (pictured) was involved in drugs, but police are carrying out an investigation into why he was the subject of an execution style killing 

'You will always be remembered as an amazing person with many friends that admired and loved you.'

Four days before being murdered Cleave had posted photos on his Facebook page celebrating his daughter's 14th birthday.

The city of Cancun has long been a favourite for American 'spring breakers' but is also increasingly popular with British tourists.

But in the last year violence among drug cartels has spiraled out of control

In November 2021, a shootout between rival gangs resulted in the killing of two gangsters on a Cancun tourist beach.

Two weeks before that an American and German tourist were caught in the crossfire of a gang battle in Tulum and shot dead.

According to Mexico's public security service, between January and September 2021, the murder rate rose 80 per cent from the same period in the previous year.

In response to the violence, the Mexican government announced that the National Guard will deploy 1500 soldier to protect the tourist areas of Quintana Roo as part of the newly formed Tourist Security Battalion.

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said the region's recent violence cannot be repeated while stating that the new battalion's presence would be permanent, and its role would focus on intelligence work.  

On his Facebook page Cleave, pictured, said he graduated from Penair Secondary School in 1986

Last month two men were shot dead and a third injured at a popular tourist restaurant in the area.

A group of gunmen opened fire in an attack at Art Beach restaurant at the entrance to the hotel zone in the Mayan Riviera resort of Tulum a 50-minute drive south of Playa del Carmen, where the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio, Demi Moore and Sting have holidayed.

Survivors dining at the upmarket eatery, which mixes food with live music, reported hearing at least 20 gunshots.

The incident occurred less than a month after two Canadians were gunned down and a third was wounded in a hotel in Playa del Carmen south of Cancun on the same coastline.

The victims of the January 21 shooting at the luxury Hotel Xcaret in Playa del Carmen were part of a group of 10 tourists who had traveled to Quintana Roo on the Yucatan Peninsula to spend their vacations at the five-star establishment.

Local prosecutors later identified the two 34-year-old men killed as convicted criminals in Canada and said they believed debts arising from the criminal activities they were involved in were likely to have been behind the attack on them.

They have been named as Robert James Dinh and Thomas Cheruka.

Two people including a Mexican hitman initially hired to kill the victims have been arrested.

Daily Mail