Mexico Vacation Ends in Tragic Bloodbath for 9 Students
Authorities in Mexico are unraveling a gruesome mystery after discovering nine dismembered bodies near a highway in early March 2025. The victims — four women and five men, all in their 20s — were found stuffed into a Volkswagen Vento and under a blood-soaked tarp. Bullet holes and signs of torture marked the bodies, suggesting a brutal execution. The chilling scene raises serious questions about organized crime and the safety of tourists in Mexico.
Bodies in the Trunk — and a Grisly Bag of Hands
On March 2, 2025, police found a dark gray Volkswagen Vento abandoned along a highway near San José Miahuatlán, close to the Puebla-Oaxaca border. Inside the trunk, they discovered four bodies. Five more lay under a tarp beside the car. And the most disturbing detail? A bag containing eight pairs of severed hands sat nearby. Two more hands were found in the trunk.
Removing the remains took several hours, highlighting the sheer brutality of the crime. The bodies showed signs of torture, and bullet holes were clearly visible. The victims had vanished days earlier while vacationing on Oaxaca's beaches.
Who Were the Victims?
Authorities identified some victims through ID cards found at the scene. Angie Lizeth Perez Garcia, 29, and Leslie Noya Trejo, 21, had been reported missing from Oaxaca on Feb. 28, 2025. Perez Garcia and another victim, Brenda Mariel Salas Moya, were last seen driving a 2016 Ford Fiesta with Yucatan plates on Feb. 27, 2025. Moya was later found alive in Puebla, Mexico, but officials haven't shared any more details about her.
Jacqueline Ailet Meza, 28, disappeared from a Huatulco beach around the same time. On March 1, 2025, her mother wrote on Facebook, "Please, I ask for your help, my daughter disappeared last night on a beach in Huatulco, called Zipolite. They took her and until now we know nothing about my daughter," as reported by El País.
Meza left behind two young children.
Other victims included Raúl Emmanuel González Lozano and Noemí Yamileth Lopez Moratilla, both 28, last seen on Feb. 28, 2025, at Zipolite Beach. Authorities have not publicly identified the ninth victim.
Gang Ties and a Suspicious Death
A chilling theory has emerged. José "El Jocha" Lavariega, a former mayoral candidate turned gang leader, allegedly lured the students to Oaxaca. He reportedly encouraged them to commit robberies targeting tourists, a move that may have angered a rival criminal group. According to the New York Post, an official from the prosecutor's office said, "There is another local criminal group that controls the area near the coast of Oaxaca. ... So, they have an agreement not to commit robberies — because robbery is a crime that affects ordinary citizens."
Days after the students' bodies were found, Lavariega turned up dead. Police discovered his body in a car in Oaxaca with a note that read, "This is what you get for being a thief," the New York Post reported. Authorities haven't officially linked his death to the students' murders, but the timing has fueled speculation.
What Happens Now?
At a press conference on March 3, 2025, Idamis Pastor Betancourt, head of the State Attorney General's Office, said, "All relevant investigations are being carried out. When we have a response and the investigation is complete, we will be in a position to provide more information," according to PEOPLE.
On March 6, 2025, the Oaxaca Prosecutor General's Office announced an investigation into the potential involvement of local police. So far, no suspects have been arrested, and authorities remain tight-lipped about the motive.
A Vacation Nightmare Turned Tragedy
The brutal murders have left families searching for answers — and questioning whether Mexican authorities will deliver justice. Violence tied to drug cartels and organized crime has plagued the region for years, but the sheer savagery of this crime has heightened fears for tourists and locals alike.
As investigators dig deeper into the case, the victims' families remain caught in a painful limbo — desperate for justice, haunted by the horrifying final moments of their loved ones.
References: What We Know About Chilling Case of Dismembered Students Found in Mexico | Nine students found dismembered by side of Mexico highway were allegedly lured by gang leader who was later found dead: report | Disappearance of eight young people and the silence of three states highlights opacity of crime in Mexico
