In a chilling development, Mexican law enforcement officials have discovered four charred and decapitated bodies, potentially connected to a horrifying video that surfaced online. The video depicted one of five abducted young men being forced to murder a companion while being filmed. The bodies, yet to be identified due to severe burning, were discovered in a building in the western state of Jalisco, in close proximity to the location where the young men were reportedly abducted.
The building, as shown in photos released by Jalisco prosecutors, is in a state of disrepair and stands alone in an open field. Speculation is rife that a fifth body, discovered earlier in a burnt vehicle in the vicinity, could be the final member of the group.
The gruesome details of the decapitations align with the disturbing content of the video that emerged earlier this week. The video shows the decapitated bodies of three young men, bound and lifeless. In a horrifying sequence, an off-camera individual throws a brick to one of the victims, who is then forced to bludgeon the fifth member of the group before decapitating him with a knife.
The young men had reportedly disappeared last week after attending a festival. Family members of the missing individuals have informed authorities that they recognized the clothing and physical appearance of the young men in the video.
State officials have initiated an investigation into the video, but have also requested federal prosecutors to step in, given the likelihood of drug cartel involvement. The decision to involve federal authorities rests with the federal attorney general, as stated by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
The young men were last seen on Friday, en route to a festival in the city of Lagos de Moreno, a region notorious for cartel violence. Investigators, following leads, raided a series of brick and concrete structures on a ranch on Wednesday, uncovering bloodstains on the floor and scattered shoes. The state prosecutor’s office, in a statement on Wednesday, suggested that the evidence indicated the presence of the five young men at the ranch.