Authorities on Monday said that three Mexican film students were killed and their bodies were dissolved in acid. Authorities claim that it is a case of mistaken identity after a cartel gang confused them with a rival gang. The students were filming for a class project during their spring break when the kidnapping happened. Officials say the students car broke down during their trip and they were later kidnapped by at least six people who tortured and killed them.
Javier Salomón Aceves Gastélum, Daniel Díaz and Marco Ávalo were last seen on March 19 in the municipality of Tonalá, Jalisco.
Apparently students being disappeared and dissolved in acid in Mexico is so normal that the fact that Jalisco government has declared this was the fate of Javier, Marco & Daniel has barely made international headlines and caused little stir in national ones #NoSomosTresSomosTodxs pic.twitter.com/9rdkJFgB3c
— Andalalucha (@Andalalucha) April 24, 2018
Mexican officials say the students might have been abducted by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. They were filming a school project at a house used by the rival Nueva Plaza gang. The students were using the residence because it belonged to one of their aunts.
“Without knowing it, the students were in a very dangerous place which was being watched by hit men from the New Generation cartel,” the prosecutors office said, according to The Washington Post.
Rapper Christian Palma Gutiérrez, aka QBA, has confessed to disposing of their bodies for the cartel.
#BreakingBad “QBA: Mexico rapper 'dissolved film students' bodies in acid' – BBC News US” • “A Mexican rapper has confessed to disposing of the bodies of three missing film students by dissolving them in acid … #JaliscoNewGeneration drug cartel.” https://t.co/W5S8TW7sjU
— Hal Newnan (@HappilyH) April 26, 2018
According to BBC News, QBA confessed to helping the Jalisco New Generation Cartel dispose of bodies in the past. He also received weekly payments from the Jalisco New Generation Cartel of 3,000 Mexican pesos, about $160.
Oscar winning film maker Guillermo Del Toro, a native of Guadalajara, called the crimes “unthinkable” and “terrifying”.
Las palabras no alcanzan para entender la dimensión de esta locura. 3 estudiantes son asesinados y disueltos en ácido. El ¨porqué¨ es impensable, el ¨como¨ es aterrador.
— Guillermo del Toro (@RealGDT) April 24, 2018
“Words are not enough to understand the dimension of this madness. 3 students are killed and dissolved in acid. The ‘why’ is unthinkable, the ‘how’ is frightening.”
The students attended Universidad de Medios Audiovisuales, a film school in Del Toro’s home city of Guadalajara.
People have taken to social media to bring attention to the missing students.
El asesinato de los 3 estudiantes de cine en Jalisco es responsabilidad de una "política de seguridad" basada en la guerra, e impulsada por el partido al que han servido @RicardoAnayaC, @JoseAMeadeK y @Mzavalagc #NoSonTresSomosTodxs pic.twitter.com/u5GwrrJZPi
— Katu Arkonada (@KatuArkonada) April 24, 2018
People have raised awareness by using the hashtag #NoSonTresSomosTodxs (#ItsNotThreeItsAllOfUs) and #LosTresEstudiantesDeCine (#TheThreeFilmStudents).
The recent disappearance and death of the students has brought back memories of other widespread missing cases, like the 43 students from Ayotzinapa.
In 3.5 years, the Mexican government has not found these 43 missing students. They have tried to close case saying there bodies were reduced to ashes which cannot be identified. Surely they will try to do the same with Jalisco students based on genetic profiles found in acid. pic.twitter.com/irhgZuomna
— Andalalucha (@Andalalucha) April 24, 2018
More than 5,000 people have gone missing in Jalisco as of Feb. 28, according to Pie De Página. They also report that 36 percent of all people missing are 16 to 28 years old.
