Follow-up - Mexican police arrest five in death of UBC student, suggest drug cartel connection

[Havana]

Teresa Smith, Postmedia News
May 8, 2012 3:55 PM ET

http://borderland-beat.924382.n3.nabble.com/Canadian-Student-Slain-On-Mexican-Beach-tp3639356.html

Follow-up

Mexican authorities have arrested five people and are looking for three fugitives in connection with the murder of a couple whose bodies were found partially buried in the sand on a beach in Mexico in December.

The woman, Ximena Osegueda, 39, was a Mexican national who had become a Canadian citizen and, according to police, was a victim of “a settling of scores” among a Mexican organized crime group.

Osegueda had lived in Montreal and Vancouver and was in Mexico doing research as part of a graduate degree in Hispanic studies at the University of British Columbia, when she disappeared on Dec. 13. In late December her brother found her body alongside her boyfriend, Alejandro Alvarado.

Oaxaca Attorney General Manuel de Jesus Lopez Lopez told a news conference Monday five people were arrested in connection with the crime, three of them women.

Police, who believe the murders are connected to organized crime, were still looking for three other suspects. Charges include homicide, theft and organized crime.



The “positive, friendly and enthusiastic” Osegueda was well-liked by students and faculty alike, said Dr. Andre Lamontagne, head of the department of French, Hispanic and Italian studies at UBC.

In addition to her graduate work studying a large cross in the area of Huatulco, where her body was found, Osegueda also taught a first-year Spanish course.

Lamontagne said the small graduate studies program of about 50 people were shocked when they found out in December that Osegueda — who lived part-time in Mexico and had a house there — was missing.

They held a memorial service for their former fellow-student in January and, during the ceremony, Lamontagne called Osegueda “a bright and promising scholar . . . an accomplished yoga instructor and practitioner of capoeira, a Brazilian martial-art dance.”

Osegueda earned master’s degree in Spanish at McGill University (2005), and taught undergraduate courses on Latin American history at the Universidad del Mar in Huatulco from 2006 to 2008.



While Lamontagne said all students who go abroad must be careful, he said he wanted to avoid generalizing Mexico as a dangerous place.

“In a way, she was a local because she had a house there,” he said.

Lopez Lopez said police have taken into custody Oscar (The Bear) Ibarra Geovany Diego, Nardy Antares Duran Castillo, Mitzy Daniela Castillo Cruz, Araceli Ivett Casco Estrada and Irasema Sanchez Santa Rosa.

Police are still pursuing Juan (The Smurf) Carlos Caballero Garcia, Escamilla (Tweety) Armando Mejia, and Omar (The Mole) Garcia Rosalino Sources.

Hualtulco is about 500 kilometres southeast of Mexico City.

Slain USB Student



http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/05/08/mexican-police-arrest-five-in-death-of-ubc-claim-drug-cartel-connection/

 

[Pinchegringo]

Man, these stories are always the worst!  Bright woman who met her fate entirely too early.  My aunt, quite a fool, always likes to tell me when I show her these kind of stories "this is an anomaly" "this is a rarity" etc etc.

Evidence that no one is safe period.  Thanks for posting Havana

[theboss]

I don't like how they say she was a victim of a "settling of scores," then never elaborate on it. Since her boyfriend was also killed, that could easily imply, to someone who hasn't followed this story, that he was somehow involved in organized crime. Careless way of tarnishing both of their names, in a sense. Lazy journalism and disrespectful, in my opinion. RIP.

[Havana]

Exactly, it infuriated me when I first read it because it sounds like an easy assumption.  There is no need to print an irresponsible statement as "victim settling scores" unless it is backed up with further elaboration. Ruin a reputation with truth not supposition. The family should be enraged  

[Pinchegringo]

sadly enough, my friend thinks he knew her, although not well, when he was at McGill from 04-06.  Yikes!