The number of Americans reported murdered in Mexico in the last five years has risen - mainly a side effect of outbreaks in violence in cities that U.S. citizens frequently visit, especially Tijuana, Nuevo Laredo and Ciudad Juarez . The number rose from a mere 35 cases in 2007 114 in 2011. Though that number dropped in 2012 and so far this year, other problems are emerging.
This 2013 story explores how increasing kidnappings-- especially in border states like Tamaulipas continue to claim both Mexican and American lives. This is a story I wish I could stop covering. When will we stop pretending that drug-related violence does not affect US citizens?
Americans targeted in Mexican border cities by kidnappers http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/investigations/article/Americans-targeted-in-Mexican-border-cities-by-4891498.php?cmpid=twitter-premium&t=6557018bff7fcfd54e
In the meantime, here are some other related stories:
This 2013 story explores how increasing kidnappings-- especially in border states like Tamaulipas continue to claim both Mexican and American lives. This is a story I wish I could stop covering. When will we stop pretending that drug-related violence does not affect US citizens?
Americans targeted in Mexican border cities by kidnappers http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/investigations/article/Americans-targeted-in-Mexican-border-cities-by-4891498.php?cmpid=twitter-premium&t=6557018bff7fcfd54e
In the meantime, here are some other related stories:
In a 2009 investigation, I used Mexican public records, original interviews and press reports to build a database and identify American victims and the individual stories behind growing reports about Americans murdered in Mexico. This was necessary because the U.S. Department of State routinely refuses to identify American murder victims, except in very unusual cases.
http://www.chron.com/news/nation-world/article/Killers-of-Americans-south-of-border-rarely-caught-1741056.php#page-2
http://www.chron.com/news/nation-world/article/Killers-of-Americans-south-of-border-rarely-caught-1741056.php#page-2
I also wrote about a Houston murder victim - and how his case was resolved.
http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/After-4-years-slain-man-s-Houston-mom-finally-1742382.php
By early 2012, The State Department again reported an increase in murders reported in 2011 as pockets of violence spread to formerly peaceful states, like Jalisco where many expatriot Americans live.
http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Number-of-Americans-killed-in-Mexico-continues-to-3518659.php
Here are other related stories:
US citizen children and teens murdered in Ciudad Juarez
http://www.chron.com/news/nation-world/article/Bloodshed-prompts-new-Mexico-travel-alert-1727613.php
The tale of how one killer who slayed an American woman and her Mexican friend in the normally peaceful city of Cuernavaca was eventually caught in Houston ::
