Police Chief Is 4th Arrested in Mormon Family Murders

Fidel Alejandro Villegas arrested on suspicion of protecting organized crime
By Newser Editors,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 28, 2019 6:34 AM CST
Police Chief Is 4th Arrested in Mormon Family Murders
Bullet-riddled vehicles that members of the extended LeBaron family were traveling in sit parked on a dirt road near Bavispe, at the Sonora-Chihuahua state border, Mexico, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019. Three women and six of their children, related to the extended LeBaron family, were gunned down in an attack...   (AP Photo/Christian Chavez)

The details are sparse, but Mexican media outlets are reporting that a municipal police chief has been arrested in connection with the November murders of three women and six children in Sonora state. It's believed that drug cartel hitmen shot dead the nine Mormon family members, who had dual US and Mexican citizenship. Police Chief Fidel Alejandro Villegas was arrested earlier this week on suspicion of protecting organized crime in the region and colluding in the killings.

He heads up the municipality of Janos in the neighboring state of Chihuahua, reports Reuters, the New York Times describes the location as close to the US border. His arrest is the fourth made thus far in the case. The Times notes 2019 is set to be Mexico's deadliest year on record; 32,600 murders were reported as of the end of November. (More Mexico stories.)

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