Translated by Jesús Ronquillo / Circuito Frontera
In a fateful early morning, the journalistic community of Ciudad Juárez was shaken by the news of the murder of Ismael Villagómez, a photojournalist from Heraldo de Juárez, affectionately known as “Tiger” or “Mayelo” by his colleagues.
Click here for the Spanish version
The crime occurred in the Fronteriza Alta neighborhood, at the intersection of Article 27 and Sinaloa streets, reported to the 911 emergency service at 1:53 a.m., where a body was found inside a Hyundai Elantra with border license plates.
Upon arrival at the scene, officers confirmed the death of the photojournalist.
Carlos Manuel Salas, Attorney General in the Northern Zone, stated in a press conference that, according to initial investigations, “Tiger” supplemented his income by working as a driver for In Drive, a digital cab service platform.
While the Cyber Police initiated an investigation to determine the route of his last trip, after his cell phone was not found at the crime scene.
The prosecutor mentioned that the incident occurred when the photographer was working as a driver for the platform, although he emphasized that it is not yet ruled out that his journalistic work was a factor in this tragic event.
The official indicated that all the necessary investigations are being carried out to quickly clarify the murder of the photojournalist.
He stressed that, although Villagómez was working as a driver at the time of the crime, his identity as a journalist was always present, opening the range of possible motivations for the murder.
At the scene of the incident, agents located a gray Hyundai Elantra vehicle with Chihuahua license plates, where Villagómez’s body was found, presenting an injury to the left eyeball, produced by a firearm.
The prosecutor indicated that the necessary steps are currently being taken to clarify the facts, as well as a specialized team was assigned to the investigation, which has not rested since the case became known.
The memory of “El Tiger” will live on among his colleagues and in the journalistic history of Ciudad Juaréz. While justice is sought, the community unites in a shared mourning and demands answers about the tragedy that has taken the life of a valuable member of the journalistic profession.
