Four bodies were found near La Marquesa as authorities investigated the men’s May 20 disappearance.
MEXICO CITY, MX — A married couple with deep ties to Chicago and Oak Park was found dead in central Mexico nearly a month after vanishing while arranging care for an elderly relative, family members and Mexican news reports said.
Guillermo Jafett Hidalgo Ortiz, 57, and Zafar Padamsee Mawani, 56, disappeared May 20 after leaving to meet people they believed could help them buy or install a lift chair for Mawani’s mother, who has Alzheimer’s disease. Their disappearance drew concern from relatives and friends in the Chicago area, who said the men had recently moved to Mexico after decades in Illinois. Mexican authorities later found four bodies in the La Marquesa area outside Mexico City while searching in connection with the case.
The men had lived in Chicago and Oak Park for years before relocating to Mexico in October, people close to them said. They were staying in the Mexico City area and had been caring for Mawani’s mother when they went missing. Friends said the couple was focused on getting equipment that would make daily care easier. One friend told Mexican media the men had gone to Mexico hoping for a better quality of life. “It is very sad because they came here with the idea of having a better life,” the friend said. “The only thing they found was losing their own lives.”
The search centered on the southern part of Mexico City and nearby areas in the State of Mexico. Early reports said the men were last connected to the Tlalpan area, then to a trip linked to supposed contractors. People close to the couple said one of the men shared a live location with a friend after becoming worried about a driver’s behavior. Their phones later stopped sending location information. Relatives also reported unusual banking activity after the men vanished, including withdrawals or transfers that raised questions for investigators. Authorities have not publicly released a full timeline of what happened after the couple left for the meeting.
Search efforts led investigators to La Marquesa, a wooded mountain area west of Mexico City that is known for cabins, food stands, fishing and weekend recreation. Mexican authorities found four bodies in the area, including bodies believed to be Hidalgo Ortiz and Mawani. Reports said the remains were found in clandestine graves in or near Ocoyoacac, a municipality in the State of Mexico. Forensic work was still being used to confirm identities and determine causes of death. Officials have not publicly identified the other two people found with them, and it was not clear whether those deaths were linked to the same events.
The case moved from a missing-person search to a death investigation as relatives waited for official confirmation and answers. Mexico City and State of Mexico authorities were involved because the couple disappeared in the capital region and the bodies were found outside the city. Reports said arrests had been made in connection with the investigation, but authorities had not released a complete list of suspects, charges or alleged roles. Some Mexican outlets reported that three people were detained and that information from suspects helped lead search teams to the burial site. Those details had not been fully laid out in a public charging document.
Hidalgo Ortiz and Mawani were remembered by friends as longtime members of the Chicago-area community. Mawani was described by people close to the family as a graduate of Oak Park and River Forest High School and the University of Chicago. Hidalgo Ortiz was described as a well-known figure in Chicago’s hospitality world. Friends said the men were a couple who built strong ties across Oak Park and Chicago before moving to Mexico. Their disappearance alarmed relatives in both countries because days passed with little public information and no confirmed contact from either man.
The deaths also came amid wider concern over disappearances in Mexico. Mexican officials have recorded more than 100,000 missing people nationwide, a crisis that families and search groups say has strained investigators and left many cases unresolved. The discovery of four bodies during the search for Hidalgo Ortiz and Mawani added to those concerns in the capital region. Relatives of missing people in Mexico have long pressed authorities to give equal attention to all cases, including those that do not involve foreign citizens or international pressure.
The U.S. Embassy acknowledged the case but did not release detailed information about the investigation. U.S. officials often limit public comment after deaths abroad, citing privacy rules and coordination with local authorities. Mexican prosecutors were expected to continue forensic testing, review financial records and examine the couple’s movements on May 20. Investigators also were expected to clarify whether the suspected contractors, the driver, or other people were part of a planned robbery, kidnapping or other crime. The motive remained unknown.
As of Saturday, June 20, the case remained under investigation in Mexico, with relatives and friends awaiting formal findings from prosecutors and forensic officials. The next key step is the release of confirmed identities, cause of death and any charges tied to the arrests reported in the case.
Author note: Last updated June 20, 2026.