Authorities in the state of Guerrero, Mexico, are investigating two separate incidents of violence that have left a total of 15 individuals dead, including two minors.
In the city of Chilpancingo, police discovered 11 bodies, two of which were minors, dumped near a highway after receiving a tip about an abandoned pickup truck. The bodies, including two females, were reportedly found dismembered and placed in plastic bags. Chilpancingo, a city of 300,000, has been a hotspot for drug gang violence as rival cartels vie for control of the area.
The highway where the bodies were found serves as a crucial route between Mexico City and the resort town of Acapulco, located 60 miles to the south.
In a separate incident in Acapulco, four bodies were found strangled to death inside a car parked in the downtown area. Two of the victims were discovered in the back seat with cords tied around their necks, while the other two bodies were found in the trunk under similar circumstances.
The recent violence in Guerrero comes on the heels of the brutal killing of the newly elected mayor of Chilpancingo, Alejandro Arcos, who was beheaded just a week after taking office. The ongoing conflict in the region involves two rival drug gangs, the Tlacos and the Ardillos, who are engaged in a battle for control over the drug and extortion trade.
Authorities are working to gather more information about these tragic incidents as they continue to investigate the motives behind the violence and identify the perpetrators responsible for these heinous acts.