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Alert

Radio journalist found dead in Nuevo León; cameraman killed in Chihuahua

(CEPET/IFEX) - Mexico, 11 July 2010 - Marco Aurelio Martínez Tijerina, a journalist from Montemorelos, Nuevo León, was kidnapped on 9 July and was found dead the following day. He was the presenter of the radio show "Informativo 800" at XEDD Radio La Tremenda and was formerly the news director for XERN Radio Naranjera 950 AM and a correspondent for TV Azteca, Grupo Multimedios and W Radio.

According to reports, residents of the Gil de Leyva neighbourhood in Montemorelos recalled hearing shots fired in the evening of 9 July. Armed men in three vehicles apparently intercepted Martínez between 7:30 pm and 8:30 pm and forced him into one of their vehicles. Martínez's car was left at the spot where he was abducted and police were able to use the personal objects in his car to identify him.

The following morning, Martínez's family reported him missing to police.

Around 9 p.m. on 10 July, the authorities received an anonymous phone call informing them that a body had been found on the side of the highway leading from Montemorelos to Rayones. Police and ministerial agents were sent to investigate. According to reports, Martínez was dressed and wearing a tie but the body showed signs of torture and at least one bullet wound in the head.

In a separate incident, Guillermo Alcaraz Trejo, a former camera operator and current employee of the Chihuahua State Commission for Human Rights, was killed on 10 July in the city of Chihuahua outside the offices of "Omnia" magazine.

Alcaraz had gone to the "Omnia" offices to say hello to his former colleagues. He was waiting for his girlfriend in his car outside the building when several people in a moving vehicle opened fire and shot him. It appeared that Alcaraz tried to start his car to escape but he quickly lost control and crashed into a tree.

Police officers who arrived at the scene found more than 40 shell casings from an AK-47 rifle.

"El Diario" newspaper said that neighbours reported the emergency but the police were delayed in arriving at the scene and Alcarez died before he could receive medical attention.

As of 11 July, the Chihuahua State Commission for Human Rights had not released a statement.

(Please note this is an abridged translation.)