By Laura Gottesdiener
MONTERREY, Mexico, (Reuters) – Mutilated corpses and severed body parts were found dumped in seven locations across the metropolitan area of the Mexican city of Monterrey in a spate of violence that unnerved residents of Mexico’s industrial capital.
Authorities said they are still analyzing the dismembered body parts to try to identify how many people had been killed. Local media has reported there could be up to 12 victims and that some of the body parts were discovered in coolers.
The gruesome discoveries recalled a bloody period in the 2010s when cartel conflicts engulfed the city and bodies were left in the streets or hanging from bridges.
The brutality of the violence had subsided in Monterrey, which was recently chosen to be the home of a new Tesla car plant.
Authorities said Tuesday’s events appeared to be linked and were likely sparked by an internal conflict within a criminal group based in the bordering state of Tamaulipas.
“From the messages that were left (near the bodies), there’s a correlation,” said Pedro Jardon, the attorney general of Nuevo Leon, in response to questions from reporters on Tuesday afternoon.
Photos of the supposed messages circulating in local press and on social media suggested the murders were carried out by the Northeast Cartel and were retribution for alleged infiltration of the group.
The attorney general’s office did not confirm the authenticity of the photos.
