Mexican editor found dead in Pacific resort city

ZIHUATANEJO, Mexico — A newspaper editor who recently had run stories about organized crime and city government corruption was found dead Friday in a hotel room in this Pacific resort city. An acquaintance who was with him the last time he was seen alive remained missing.

Misael Tamayo Hernandez, editor of “El Despertar de la Costa,” was found nearly naked, with his hands tied behind his back, in a room of the Venus Motel on a highway, Zihuatanejo police officials said.

He was lying on a bed, covered only with a sheet, and investigators found three puncture marks on his body, one in his right hand and two others in a forearm. The cause of death was a heart attack, forensic investigators said.

Authorities did not know the whereabouts of a businessman who left the newspaper with Tamayo Hernandez to have breakfast Thursday morning.

Tamayo Hernandez, who was well-respected in the local journalistic community, had published a story on Thursday alleging that city officials had given illegal discounts on water services to individuals and businesses. Thursday’s edition also contained stories on organized crime.

Workers at the motel said they saw the editor arrive in a gray Volkswagen Jetta about 1:25 a.m. Friday, and that the car then left again at 2:30 a.m. It was not clear if the witnesses were able to see who was with him when he arrived or who was driving when the car left. The body was found about 7:30 a.m., said area District Attorney Raciel Gonzalez.

Numerous journalists have been attacked or killed in recent years in Mexico, presumably as revenge for unfavorable reports on criminals, including drug traffickers and corrupt government officials.

The state of Guerrero, which includes Zihuatanejo, and the neighboring state of Michoacan also have suffered in recent months from a wave of violence characterized by decapitations, shootings and grenade explosions that authorities attribute to warring drug trafficking gangs.

Spread the love

More Articles for You

What Ancient Cultures Can Teach Us About Death, Technology, and Social Change

In a world where technology seems to dominate every facet of our lives, there’s something profoundly humbling about turning back …

Spread the love

Beyond Bread: Bakers in the Family, Pan de Agua and Casabe

I can picture us. Two, little rail-thin girls with long braided hair down our backs, holding hands as we walked …

Spread the love

How to Pull Back the Curtain: Heroes, Flaws, Boundaries and Creativity

I think a lot about exposure. I guess it comes with the territory of being a writer, and a communications …

Spread the love

Curating Caribbean Heritage: A List of Must-Read Books

This is how I honor and celebrate the diversity and richness of the islands and their cultural diasporas, reflecting on …

Spread the love

On Growing up in East Harlem: Italian (Barese) and Puerto Rican Heritage

I was thrilled to chat with podcaster, and fellow author and family historian Bob Sorrentino earlier this month. During our …

Spread the love

Food Culture: The Best Podcast for “Top Chef” Fans

The food we eat, how we eat and prepare it is so intricately tied to our culture, our heritage and …

Spread the love