UMVA has learned that a wave of violence has struck the resort town of Puerto Vallarta, leaving authorities fearing they are hunting a possible serial killer.
The bodies of three women were discovered in different parts of the city in just 11 days, with the latest victim found on Thursday morning. Detectives say the death was eerily similar to the two previous mysterious deaths, sparking concerns that the murders may be linked.
According to information obtained by UMVA, the three victims were all heavily tattooed and believed to be between 30 and 35 years old. Their bodies were discovered in areas off the beaten track, and they were found in a very similar state of undress.
Investigators are now trying to determine whether the grisly murders have followed a pattern and whether they are related. The possibility that the killings may be the work of the bloodthirsty drug cartels is also being considered, adding to the growing unease in the community.
The victim found on Thursday had a number of distinctive tattoos, including one of a horned woman with a hand covering her mouth, a skull tattoo, and a woman’s name tattooed on her right arm. These identifying marks are hoped to help identify her, and officials believe she may be Elizabeth Galindo Martínez, 22, from the Mexico City area, who disappeared in late April.
Martinez's relatives are travelling to Puerto Vallarta to determine whether the victim is their loved one, but so far, no one has come forward to identify any of the victims. One theory is that the women were murdered elsewhere and transported to Puerto Vallarta, where they were dumped.
The murders have triggered new fears among the violence-weary local population, who are already reeling from the impact of cartel violence in the area. Puerto Vallarta has been the scene of heightened violence and bloodshed connected to a civil war among the country’s dope cartels, with a recent surge in violence following the death of a key cartel leader.
The killing of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader in February unleashed a wave of carnage in Puerto Vallarta and elsewhere, with burning vehicles, murders, and blockades plaguing the area. The violence has had a devastating impact on the local community, with several airlines temporarily cancelling flights to and from Puerto Vallarta.
As investigators continue to probe the murders, officials say that all avenues remain open, and they are working to determine whether the killings are the work of a serial killer or have a wider connection to the cartel violence.
