Woman's Mutilated Remains Found Inside Cartel Drug House in Monterrey

"HEARST" for Borderland Beat 

A woman’s remains were found inside a home used as a cartel drug sales point in the greater Monterrey area in the state of Nuevo León. The specific area it took place in is believed to be primarily controlled by Cártel Independiente de Nuevo León, affiliates of the Mayo side of the Sinaloa Cartel. 

The Discovery 

During the night of November 21, 2022, a home known to be a cartel drug sales point was visited by some unexpected guests. 

According to newspaper El Norte, neighbors say they witnessed “suspicious movements of people who were not the residents of the house.” These same people were later witnessed fleeing the area, leaving the home’s front door ajar. 

Excelsior reports that they had left an ominous white ice cooler “right in front of the door of the house.” 

Based on what neighbors had seen, there was “a presumption that a violent act had been committed inside the house [...] so the witnesses requested the intervention of the police.”

Police officers were sent to check on the house, which is located on Amanecer Street, within the neighborhood of Alborada. This neighborhood is part of the greater Monterrey metropolitan area, in the municipality of Juárez (marked on the map below). 

When officers arrived, they found the property suspicious, however they were unable to enter the home without a search warrant so investigators from the state Attorney General’s Office (FGE) were called in. 

The property was cordoned off from the public with crime scene tape while the FGE submitted their request for a search warrant. 

Eventually, a judge approved the warrant and investigators entered the home the next morning, at approximately 8:00 am on November 22. 

Inside they found: two bags of marijuana, a scale, a firearm, ammo, and several cell phones; all evidence that is consistent with the home being used as a drug sales point. 

Reporte Indigo writes that investigators also found a handsaw, “several reddish stains, apparently blood,” and mutilated human remains. 

Initial news reports claimed that two sets of human remains, one male and one female, were found in the home however the FGE recently released a statement which clarifies that just one set of remains, female, were found. 

Initial reports also claimed that the remains were placed inside a white ice cooler, however the FGE statement states they were actually placed inside a black plastic garbage bag, although this plastic bag may have been placed inside of said cooler. 

The FGE says they are currently working to identify the female victim through DNA testing. Her remains were taken to Hospital Universitario for autopsy, where the cause of death will be determined. 

A motorcycle and a Volkswagen Lupo vehicle, with a Tamaulipas license plate, that were found parked on the property were later seized by authorities. 

The Juarez area of the Monterrey metropolitan area is believed to be primarily controlled by “Cártel Independiente de Nuevo León”, a group led by Joel Rodolfo Ramones Barda, alias “El Rodo”.

This group is currently working under a Mayo-affiliated part of the Sinaloa Cartel and has been given video shout-outs by MZ hitmen. 

Sources: El Norte, El Porvenir, Telediario, Milenio, Info7, Posta, Periódico La Voz, Dominion Medios, PacoZea, Informativo365, ABC Noticias, Reporte Indigo, Excelsior

Further Reading: 

CDS El Mayo Troops Show Support for El Rodo's Independent Cartel in Nuevo León

The Violent Prison Riot of Apodaca & The Narco Who Caused It

Dismembered Body Left in NL With Threats Against Gulf Cartel From El Rodo