Tragedy in Jalisco: Gunmen Target Civil Search Group Members

Two members of a civil search organization in Jalisco, Mexico, were killed by gunmen, highlighting the dangers faced by those searching for missing loved ones. The victims, Carmen Morales and her son Jaime Ramirez, were part of a group that discovered a notorious site linked to cartel activities.

Gunmen attacked and killed two members of a civil search organization in Jalisco, Mexico, authorities and the group reported Thursday. The victims, Carmen Morales and her son Jaime Ramirez, were fatally shot by assailants on motorcycles Wednesday night, according to a statement from the Jalisco state prosecutor's office.

Both Morales and Ramirez belonged to Guerreros Buscadores, a citizen search group instrumental in uncovering the so-called "ranch of horror" discovered in March. This site, located in Teuchitlan, housed numerous articles of clothing and skeletal remains and was identified by officials as a cartel training camp.

The deaths of Morales and Ramirez underscore the grave risks that members of search groups face, with another member, Teresa Gonzalez, also killed this month. Rights groups stress that criminal organizations often threaten such groups, especially in Jalisco, home to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.

(With inputs from agencies.)