Story By: Alex Cope, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Newsflash
The decapitated head of this Mexican journalist has been found on the streets of a city after he was threatened by criminals and went missing for nearly a week.
The local authorities had been searching for journalist Victor Fernando Alvarez since his family reported him as missing on 2nd April in the city of Acapulco in the southern Mexican state of Guerrero.
The state prosecution found a head in the streets of the Ciudad Renacimiento area of the city next to a secondary school on 8th April have now confirmed it belonged to Alvarez after tests carried out by “forensic and genetic experts”.
Local freedom of speech organisation Articulo 19 said that the journalist had been threatened “days before his disappearance by organised criminals in Acapulco”. Alvarez was the director of the ‘Punto por Punto’ media outlet but no motive has been provided for the crime.
The organisation Journalist Victims Of Forced Internal Displacement in Mexico wrote: “We regret to communicate that the Guerrero authorities confirm the discovery of the severed head of journalist Victor Alvarez who had been missing since 2nd April.”
Prosecutors said the investigation into the murder is ongoing but no arrests have been reported and no suspects have been named.
Mexico is one of the world’s most dangerous countries for journalists, with 131 reporters having reportedly been murdered since the year 2000.
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