Wave of Murders Cuts Down Mexican Musicians

Some of Mexico’s biggest music stars are being murdered, often in gruesome fashion, and no one’s sure why, the New York Times reports. The past year and a half has seen the killings of 13 Mexican musicians, all purveyors of grupero, a country-esque style often dealing with drugs and crime. Police suspect gang involvement, but they have no evidence and usually no motives.

When K-Paz frontman Sergio Gomez’s body turned up tortured and strangled, it was especially shocking because K-Paz sang about love, not crime. Frightened musicians are canceling concerts. “These assassinations have been done with a lot of cruelty and this makes us tense,” one singer said. Police say some victims may not have direct gang ties; they simply “touch some nerve” with their songs. (More Mexico stories.)