2012 Michoacán murder of photographers

Arturo Barajas Lopez and Jose Antonio Aguilar were Mexican freelance photographers. The two were last seen on Thursday August 16, 2012 while on their way to photograph a social event. Their bodies were found in the truck of an abandoned car on Sunday August 19, 2012 in the rural area of Tinaja de Vargas outside the city of Ecuandureo. This is about 90 miles from the town of Morelia, the capital of Michoacan. Their bodies showed signs of torture and they were killed by a gunshot wound to the neck.

Personal

Lopez (46) and Aguilar (26) were both residents of La Estancia in Jacona township near the border of the state of Jalisco. They were both freelance photographers who were often seen offering their services in the plaza in the town of Zamora and also to the Zamora Valley Press Association. Barajas had also photographed accident scenes for the Diaro de Zamora newspaper. They were not, however, members of the press organization.

Related Crimes

The murders are believed to have been carried out by members of Los Caballeros Templarios Cartel which since 2011 has controlled drug trafficking in the state of Michoacan. Fifteen other people died in drug related violence during the same weekend in Michoacan. No progress has been made in the investigation.