A US researcher died allegedly at the hands of drug cartels after entering a warring Mexican state.
Gabriel Trujillo, a 31-year-old US PhD student at the University of California Berkeley, was tragically killed during a research trip to Mexico.
He was shot seven times and left to die in his SUV in the Mexican state of Sonora, an area previously controlled by drug lord El Chapo.
The region has become a violent battleground as three cartels, including factions of the Sinaloa Cartel and the Caborca Cartel, reportedly fight for control.
Mr Trujillo's body was found on June 22, and private investigator Jay Armes III believes he was likely stalked by cartel spotters who mistook him for an undercover DEA agent.
Instead of stealing his vehicle, typically used by the cartels, they shot him and left his body in the SUV.
An investigation into Mr Trujillo's death is ongoing, and authorities have yet to provide an official update.
Who was Gabriel Trujillo?
Gabriel Trujillo was a botanist and a PhD student on track to complete his PhD program in 2025. at the University of California Berkeley.
His loved ones described him as brilliant, genuine, talented, adventurous, brave, generous, and kind, with a passion for nature, culture, and science.
On the day he died, he was on a research trip to Mexico to apply his knowledge of the Buttonbush, a flowering shrub, to build a garden and restore wetlands in El Chapo's former territory.
Mr Trujillo was also engaged and planned to marry his fiancée, Roxy, in August.
“We were committed to dedicating our lives to environmental conservation and environmental research,” Cruz-de Hoyos told the AP. “We felt that Indigenous hands have taken care of these lands for time immemorial.”
They had bought a house together, commissioned custom engagement rings, and were planning to announce their engagement.
The couple envisioned a wedding led by an Indigenous elder and had plans to start a family and dedicate their lives to environmental conservation and research.
Cartel wars and tactics
Jay Armes III, a private investigator who specializes in crime in Mexico and has worked on kidnapping cases around the world, described the region where Gabriel Trujillo was killed as a "warzone".
He mentioned that three cartels, including factions of the Sinaloa Cartel and the Caborca Cartel, are fighting for control in the northwest state of Sonora.
"It's a sad situation that someone with that kind of potential was killed senselessly," he told Fox News.
Mr Armes III explained that cartel spotters, known as "falcons" or "halcones" in Spanish, are individuals employed by the cartels to report any suspicious activity.
He also mentioned that when a spotter identifies someone who doesn't belong in the area, a group of sicarios (hitmen) is dispatched to confront or eliminate the perceived threat.
Mr Armes III speculated that Gabriel Trujillo might have been mistaken for an undercover DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) agent due to his presence in the area and his research activities.
He suggested that the cartel members might have believed Trujillo to be law enforcement, leading to his targeted killing.
Mr Armes III noted that Trujillo was shot seven times and left in his SUV, which is unusual for cartel-related killings.
He suggested that the assailants might have panicked or suspected Trujillo to be law enforcement, resulting in his murder and the abandonment of his vehicle.
