Five more arrested over deadly kidnapping of Americans in Mexico

Mexican authorities have arrested five more people in connection with the brutal kidnapping of four U.S. citizens in Matamoros, Mexico, in which two were murdered officials say. Tamaulipas Attorney General Irving Barrios Mojica tweeted on Friday that the five men were arrested for crimes of ‘aggravated kidnapping and intentional homicide.’ So far six people have been arrested in connection with the kidnapping and comes after the Gulf Cartel apologized and handed over five of its members to local authorities. Each suspect is staring down the barrel of 80 years in prison for kidnapping and 60 years for murder if slapped with the highest sentence. 

Barrios Mojica tweeted: ‘The Tamaulipas Attorney General’s Office (#FGJT) performed an arrest warrant against 5 people linked to the events of March 3 in Matamoros, for the crimes of aggravated kidnapping and intentional simple homicide. One more person who was arrested in recent days, was linked to the process.’ It comes after five Gulf Cartel assassins who allegedly kidnapped four Americans and killed two were seen tied up and dumped in the streets of the Tamaulipas city by narco bosses. Images circulating of the suspects emerged in the wake of the brutal kidnapping as the suspects sat smirking as they were arrested (pictured). A note from their bosses, written in Spanish, was left with the henchmen apologizing for the killings and claiming they were happy to hand over those responsible. 

They claimed the assassins – who were part of the notorious Scorpions splinter group – operated outside of ‘cartel rules’ and ‘condemn’ the attack, adding ‘the CDG has always respected the life and integrity of the innocent.’ The case remained ‘very confusing’ to investigators, who were still obtaining information on the kidnapping last Friday and considering all angles. Questions have been raised over why the Americans were in the cartel-run city in the first place.

The Mexico government announced on Thursday it was probing whether the kidnapping ‘could be directly linked to drug trafficking.’ The survivors’ families have claimed they were there so one of the group could get a cheap tummy tuck surgery. The Gulf Cartel (Cartel del Golfo, CDG) left behind the note on a white poster where it tried to apologize for the brutal murders. ‘The Gulf Cartel’s Scorpions Group strongly condemns the events of last Friday, March 3 where unfortunately an “innocent” working mother died and 4 American citizens were ‘kidnapped’ of which 2 died,’ the Spanish-written message read.

The criminal organization, which has been around since the 1930s, claimed the suspects acted on their own. ‘And for this reason, we have decided to hand over those involved and directly responsible for the facts who at all times acted under their own determination and indiscipline and against the rules that ‘The CDG’ has always operated, respecting the life and integrity of the innocent,’ the cartel said. ‘The CDG apologizes to Matamoran society, the relatives of Mrs. Arely, the American individuals and families affected. The CDG asks society to be calm because we are committed to not repeating those errors caused by indiscipline and whoever is responsible will pay!!’ A spokesman for the Tamaulipas State Attorney General’s Office told DailyMail.com the five alleged participants have yet to be brought up on charges. Pictured: La Kena or Ciclon 19, the leader of the Gulf Cartel. 

The prosecutor’s office said law enforcement investigators assigned to the kidnapping located and confiscated an ambulance the cartel used to drive the American victims to a local clinic for treatment following the attack. South Carolina residents Latavia McGee, her cousin Shaeed Woodward and her friends Zindell Brown and Eric James crossed into Matamoros around 9am last Friday and came under attack at about two hours later. Pictured: Forensic technicians working at the scene where authorities found the bodies of two of four Americans kidnapped by gunmen.

Gulf Cartel henchmen were seen on video forcing McGee (pictured) into the flatbed of a pickup truck and dumping the bodies of Woodward, Brown and James in the vehicle. The three men were allegedly accompanying McGee on the road trip from South Carolina across the border for McGee’s surgery. McGee, a mother-of-five, and James, who was shot in the leg, were rescued from a cartel stash house six and a half miles away in the rural town of El Tecolote on Tuesday morning. Brown and Woodward were found dead in the house.

Mexican national and Matamoros resident Arely Servando, 33, was struck by a stray bullet and killed on the scene. 

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