Heavily armed hitman of rival El Chapo cartel is arrested over Mormon massacre after a stand-off at the US border where he held two HOSTAGES as heartbreaking photos show devastated relatives visiting the scene of the massacre
Mexican authorities arrested a suspected drug lord on Tuesday after nine Americans were slaughtered by cartel gunmen
The suspect – only identified as Leonardo – was found Tuesday in the town of Agua Prieta, right at the border with the U.S. state of Arizona
Investigators say the suspect was holding two hostages who were gagged and tied inside a vehicle
The suspect was found in the possession of four assault rifles and ammunition, as well as various large vehicles including a bullet-proofed SUV
The hostages are not believed to be related to the nine LeBaron family victims who were killed on Monday while traveling in a convoy of three SUVs
Officials have said that the cartel gunmen may have mistaken the group’s large SUVs for those of a rival gang amid a vicious turf war
The killers were members of rival El Chapo cartel – the Juarez drug cartel and its armed wing called La Linea
The suspect arrested of the slayings reportedly told authorities he belonged to the La Linea cartel
By EMILY CRANE and ADRY TORRES
DAILYMAIL.COM
6 November 2019
A heavily armed suspected drug lord has been arrested and is under investigation for the slaughter of nine Americans, including three mothers and six children, after the Mormon family was ambushed in northern Mexico by cartel gunmen.
The suspect – only identified as a 30-year-old man named Leonardo – was found late Tuesday in the town of Agua Prieta, right at the border with the U.S. state of Arizona, holding two hostages who were gagged and tied inside a vehicle, Mexico’s Agency for Criminal Investigation said.
Authorities said the suspect was also found in the possession of four assault rifles and ammunition, as well as various large vehicles including a bullet-proofed SUV.
The hostages are not believed to be related to the nine LeBaron family victims who were killed on Monday while traveling in a convoy of three SUVS on a dirt road in Sonora state.
Devastated family members of the slain victims visited the scene of the grisly murders late on Tuesday and were pictured sobbing as they saw the burnt out and bullet riddled SUVs.
Investigators are still trying to determine if the arrested suspect is connected to the brutal slayings.
Officials have said that the cartel gunmen may have mistaken the group’s large SUVs for those of a rival gang amid a vicious turf war.
The killers were apparently members of the Juarez drug cartel and its armed wing, La Linea – ‘The Line’ – whose gunmen had entered Sinaloa cartel territory and set up an armed outpost on a hilltop and an ambush further up the road.
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