US inmate solicits 4 murder victims to “PARTY” in Tijuana’s deadliest neighborhood AND THEY GO!

For pure argument sake, if you had a “friend”, serving time in the penitentiary for drug trafficking, and that friend sent  you a letter, encouraging you to go to a Friday night party in East Los Angeles,–an area well known for drug dealing gang-bangers, drive by shootings and murder– would you go???  and if so why???

Obviously, no conscientious person would consider such a thing (aside from the fact that very few of us know incarcerated drug convicts of which we would consider our friends). 

Yet this is what 3 American youths, and their Mexican friend apparently did last weekend, as attested by the investigators.  The  bodies of  Brianna Aguilera, Carmen Chavez,  Louis Gomez, Oscar Garcia, ages 19-23, were discovered early Saturday morning.  They were found bludgeoned and covered in blankets in an unmarked van abandoned by the roadway. 

Anyone reading this story would ask themselves “what were those people thinking?” –or better yet—“why would they want to go there under any circumstances?”  The answer of which could be hypothesized into various scenarios, none of which would suggest that their motives were entirely “innocent”. 

For most of us, reading such a story, the conclusion would be either: 1) they were just plain stupid or 2) they must have been involved in illicit activity associated with the convict who placed them in jeopardy in the first place.  Some would draw the unfortunate conclusion that they got what they deserved.

However, this crime did not, apparently, take place in East LA, but rather in Valle Dorado area of Tijuana. An area where Abigail Lopez, who lives near where the bodies were discovered, said death from drug dealing is a “normal occurence living here.”

Lopez said she fears for her life. “That’s why we never go outside. We’re always inside our house, it is very dangerous.”

But in spite of these reports, the US media is again bashing Baja for what anyone would classify as a stupid error in judgment.  Had this SAME incident taken place in East LA, would there be any blame directed at US law enforcement, or the people of Los Angeles or California?  No, we would all shake our heads and ponder the absurd decision-making process undertaken by the unfortunate 4.  The story would end there.

Meanwhile, the US P-3 spin is all fired up.  Many reports either ignore or downplay the connection among the victims and the convict who sent the letter. 

Many reports are suggesting that all the victims were US citizens which is not the case (calling the “San Diegans”).  Ms. Chavez was a Mexican citizen, which would suggest that perhaps there were familial ties to TJ.

Other reports attempt to suggest that “teens” were killed, yet only one victim was under 20. 

Some are attempting to paint the TJ trip as a simple night out in the tourist-bar area of downtown TJ, however, there has been NO EYE WITNESS REPORTS that the victims ever went to any TJ nightclubs that weekend. 

Having researched the US dept. of State database of US citizens murdered in Baja over the last 6 years, it is clear to me that these victims were murdered in a fashion characteristic of a professional narco-hit.  The victims were not innocent US tourist visiting museums, cathedrals, or vacationing at a beachfront resort.

As reported by channel 6 news (San Diego); Most family friends did not want to comment publicly, fearing retribution from Mexican drug cartels. One said, “you don’t want to mess with these people.”

Obviously, there appears to be more to this story.

The bottom-line is that if you are a US citizen, coming to Mexico “to party” in the dangerous areas of east TJ, or to participate in illicit activity associated with the same, you risk your life….just as you would if you chose to engage in the same activity in East LA, Detroit, New Orleans, or Philadelphia. 

As for most of the rest of TJ, and all of the remainder of Baja,  the first quarter of 2009 has shown a 79% decrease in deaths from drug violence, (although none has been directed at US tourists in the first place).

For the normal, US law abiding tourist, “you have nothing to fear but fear itself!” 

Our condolences go out to the victims’ families and friends.  It’s a terrible tragedy.