Police chief killed in central Mexico; third of the year

[News_Editor]

Police chief killed in central Mexico; third of the year

2011-03-11 01:54:41 GMT+7 (ICT)

MORELIA, MEXICO (BNO NEWS) -- The chief of a local police force on Thursday was killed execution style in Michoacan state, central Mexico, Quadratin news agency reported.

Jorge Hernandez Espinoza was found dead at about 6:00 a.m. local time next to his van in a rural road in Santiago Tangamandapio municipality. He was the director of the municipality's police force.

The body was found by local farmers who informed the police. Zamora city police officers arrived to the scene located between the Zamora valley and the Chapala swamp.

Police chief Hernandez Espinoza was killed due to four gunshots, one in the head and three in the chest. Authorities said that he was killed in execution style which is commonly used by the "La Familia" drug cartel which controls Michoacan.

The body was left next to the van, owned by the police force, near the local cemetery. Hernandez Espinoza is the third police chief killed in the central Mexico's state so far this year.

In January 6, a group of armed men killed Francisco Aparicio Méndez, police chief of Taretan. In March 1, the Tanhuato police director José Gómez Basurto was intercepted by gunmen and killed with five gunshots to his head.

"La Familia" cartel is Mexico's main trafficker of methamphetamine. Its leader and founder, Nazario "El Chayo" Moreno Gonzalez, was killed last December during clashes with federal police forces in Michoacan.

One month earlier, the powerful drug cartel offered to disband if government authorities guarantee peace in the region and "commit to assume the state's control sturdily and decisively."

Authorities responded quickly, saying they would not negotiate with any criminal organization and law is not negotiable. The message was sent through several banners set up statewide.

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