SONOYTA, MEXICO – Two elderly women with dual nationality of the US and Mexico were found dead on a frequently dangerous stretch of highway in Mexico last week, according to local prosecutors. The women’s vehicle was riddled with bullet holes, and they were found around 10:30 a.m. on Friday on the Sonoyta-Caborca highway. A security source named the deceased victims as Enedina, 72, and Ubaldina, 82.
Operating under dangerous conditions, authorities responded to the scene of the crime, where the victims’ bullet-ridden Nissan Pathfinder was discovered capsized. A subsequent search for the perpetrators resulted in the discovery of an abandoned Ford F-150 truck that had been reported stolen. The truck contained a large collection of weapon paraphernalia, including four AK-47 rifles, three ballistic vests, and an array of magazines and cartridges.
Officials disclosed that the women originally hailed from Caborca, and investigators from three governmental branches are collaborating to investigate the case more thoroughly. Despite these efforts, no arrests have been made regarding the double murder.
The US State Department confirmed the victims’ US citizenship and is actively monitoring the case.
This stretch of highway near the Mexican town of Sonoyta in the state of Sonora has a notorious reputation for violence, which includes an incident from last year where a California graduate student was shot to death in his SUV. The State Department has issued warnings advising Americans to reconsider travel plans to Sonora due to the prevalent risk of crime and kidnapping.