Irapuato, Mexico — May 27, 2025
Mexican authorities have discovered 17 bodies buried in an abandoned house in the central state of Guanajuato, a region grappling with some of the country’s highest levels of cartel-related violence, officials confirmed Monday.
The gruesome find occurred in Irapuato, a city located in one of Mexico’s most violent states, where ongoing turf wars between rival cartels have claimed thousands of lives. According to a statement from the Guanajuato state prosecutor’s office, the discovery was made last week with the aid of ground-penetrating radar and cadaver dogs.
Search teams also recovered a number of weapons and tools, including knives, machetes, pickaxes, and shovels, at the site.
So far, five of the 17 victims—four men and one woman—have been identified as individuals who were previously reported missing. “Their families are being informed,” said state official Jorge Jiménez, speaking to reporters.
The mass grave was uncovered just days after a separate mass shooting in the same region, in which seven people, including children, were killed when gunmen opened fire. Authorities found two banners at the scene referencing the Santa Rosa de Lima cartel, a notorious criminal group involved in local turf wars.
Epicenter of Violence
Despite being a hub for tourism and industry, Guanajuato remains Mexico’s deadliest state, accounting for 3,151 homicides in 2024—10.5% of the national total, according to government statistics.
The violence has been largely attributed to a brutal conflict between the Santa Rosa de Lima gang and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), one of Mexico’s most powerful criminal organizations. The Trump administration previously designated CJNG as a foreign terrorist organization due to its violent operations and global reach.
Relatives Lead Search Efforts
In the absence of effective state-led investigations, civil society groups—many formed by families of the disappeared—have taken on the dangerous task of locating unmarked graves. These volunteers often conduct searches in remote areas where cartel gunmen remain active, risking their lives to bring closure to loved ones.
Mexico has recorded approximately 480,000 violent deaths since 2006, when the government launched a militarized offensive against drug cartels. Many of the dead remain unidentified, and tens of thousands of people are officially listed as missing.
Escalating Bloodshed in Guanajuato
The discovery in Irapuato is the latest in a series of violent incidents that have gripped the state:
- Earlier this month, seven people, including children, were gunned down in a public attack.
- In February, eight people—five women and three men—were shot dead on a city street.
- In January, a clash between security forces and gunmen left 10 suspected criminals dead and three police officers injured.
- In December 2024, gunmen killed eight people and wounded two others at a roadside food stand.
- In October 2024, 12 murdered police officers, bearing signs of torture, were found in various locations across the state. Cartel messages were left at the scenes, claiming responsibility.
Authorities say that message-laden banners and signs—often found near victims—serve both as territorial warnings to rival groups and as punishments for perceived betrayals or violations of cartel-imposed rules.
The situation in Guanajuato continues to highlight the severe challenges facing Mexican law enforcement and the broader impact of organized crime on civilian populations. The Guanajuato state prosecutor’s office has vowed to continue its investigation into the mass grave and pursue those responsible.
