Anatomy of a murder at Marina San Carlos
The mark was well liked by many of the captains and first mates that interacted with him. He was a generous tipper and enjoyed horsing around on his yatch “El Amigo”. It was reported that he was from Nogales but I have been told by sources he was really from Guaymas and still has family here. Others sources have told me he was originally from Obregon.
On the second of June at around 4:45 in the afternoon the good times ended abruptly for the owner of “El Amigo” in the form of multiple gunshots to the head and body. Several of the close range shots went right through him. This was apparent by the bullet holes in the boat that was docked right next to “El Amigo”. It was a clean hit. No collateral damage and while I don’t condone any of this I have to at least admit that the gunmen went out of their way to kill no innocent bystanders or witnesses, of which there were many. The marina was full of participants from the Rescate Fishing Tournament along with the normal Sunday afternoon tourists out for a boat ride in the bay.
The hit men started their hunt for their mark on the south side of the Marina and actually asked a security guard to let them into
one of the docks. The security guard on the south side of the marina informed them that the boat they were looking for was on the other side of the marina, the north side. It was also reported that these guys had open beers in their hands, possibly playing the part of tourists out on a Sunday afternoon searching for their buddy or possibly just to calm their nerves in preparation for what they were about to do. The hit men then went over to the north side of the marina. The two getaway vehicles were parked somewhere outside the security gate, around the Marina Cantina, that leads to the last dock at the western end of the marina.
The hit men gained access to the dock by pulling a gun on the north side security guard and forcing him to open the gate. The security guard was then forced at gunpoint to walk down to the end of the dock were the boat was located. The security cameras for the marina docks are located inside the gates and above the gate doors. The cameras look straight down the dock. They certainly caught all of this on camera.
The first mate captain and security guard and possibly others were then witnesses to what occurred. I have been told two slightly conflicting stories about what happened next. The mark was relaxing at the stern of the boat. When the hit men showed up he was immediately confronted and was asked if he was the owner of the boat. The mark then denied that he was the owner of the boat. Here is were the stories diverge slightly. In one version of the story the gunmen pulls out a cell phone brings up a picture of the mark and says “this is you in this picture.” In another version of the story the gunmen pull out their cell phone and call the mark. His cell phone then rings, thus giving the hit men confirmation that they truly have found their mark. Five shots were fired although any where between 3 and 8 have been reported. The hit men then fled on foot to their waiting vehicles and drove out of town.
This recent murder in San Carlos is just another statistic in what was obviously just another professional killing in the drug war that has plagued Mexico since its conception in 2006. It was then that the newly elected Felipe Calderon PAN affiliated President of Mexico, December 11th to be exact, sent 6500 Mexican soldiers to combat drug violence in the southern state of Michoacan. The militarization of the drug war in Mexico has led to a staggering number of homicides. Depending on where you get your statistics from it is not unreasonable to say that during Calderons 6 year presidential term very close to 100,000 homicides have been reported as drug related in Mexico. It could be actually slightly more that that.
It is likely that San Carlos will see more of this in the coming years. Anyone who says that this kind of publicity is bad for San Carlos is kidding themselves. Businesses in San Carlos for years now have been thriving on drug cartel money. How many houses have been paid for in cash recently? The realtors know that statistic and it is not much talked about in public. Some personal friends of mine several years ago were offered a substantial amount of money for their lovely costal home, as I recall the offer was well over a million dollars. My friends were ecstatic to finally be selling. The ecstasy of the sale was quickly replaced by the horror and realty that the offer was a cash offer. Lots of large hopefully unmarked bills in brown paper bags, or perhaps the bills would have been delivered in white plastic Ley bags. What ever the mode of transfer would have been my friends politely declined the offer and the house is still for sale.
The Marina San Carlos certainly has to have their suspicions that several of the very spendy yachts that inhabit the Marina are drug cartel owned boats. Lets face it, if the town is gonna take drug cartel money then no one should be flabbergasted when the next hit takes place.
San Carlos’s immunity expired a long time ago to all of this. Since September of 2012 there have been at least three homicides in San Carlos that were clearly drug cartel related that I am aware of. San Carlos is a natural stop on the corridor that leads directly north to gringo-landia, a land of honey, where an insatiable appetite for illegal drugs will never be quenched nor quelled. Especially not by any law enforcement officials nor by any new laws forged by any politician on either side of the border. Unless of course it is a law that will legalize drugs once and for all. Rest assured that will not happen soon although at least Colorado and Washington are certainly giving hope to many that some day government officials will realize that you can not find a military solution to what is basically a health issue at least and a human rights issue at best. There are rumors circulating that the very left leaning mayor of Mexico City may try to legalize marijuana now as well. Drugs permeate our society Mexican and American alike and the right to use drugs is a decision that any adult should be able to make for themselves. The government should stay out of it. The libertarian approach makes the most sense of any. It ain’t nobody’s business if I do. What I do on my own time as long as I do not infringe upon the rights of another is my own business. It is a simple rule. Two of the most dangerous drugs on the planet are alcohol and tobacco. These drugs are legal, taxed and regulated. The only way to rid ourselves of the drug violence is to legalize the drugs, which will bring down not only the prices but the cartels as well. The taxes and revenues generated would lead to education which in tern would most likely lead to less drug use not more.
It certainly will not happen in my life time but a guy can at least dream about it. What is a man without dreams I say.