Authorities in northern Mexico have confirmed the discovery of five burned bodies belonging to members of a regional music group who had gone missing near the Texas border. The victims, musicians from the band Grupo Fugitivo, were last heard from on May 25, shortly before they vanished while heading to a scheduled performance.
According to investigators from the Tamaulipas state prosecutor’s office, the musicians were abducted around 10 p.m. while traveling in an SUV. Their remains were later located on the outskirts of Reynosa, a city long affected by cartel violence. Officials have taken nine suspects into custody, all believed to be affiliated with a faction of the Gulf Cartel operating in the area.
Authorities have not released an official motive or cause of death, but reports indicate the bodies had been set on fire. Grupo Fugitivo was known locally for playing at community events, performing styles typical of Mexican regional music, such as cumbia and corridos. This genre has recently seen a resurgence in popularity internationally. Some corridos, often called narcocorridos, portray cartel figures in a glorified or heroic light, which has occasionally drawn the attention—and ire—of both law enforcement and criminal groups.
It remains unclear whether Grupo Fugitivo performed such songs, or if they were simply caught up in the broader wave of violence sweeping Reynosa. In recent years, other artists in the genre have faced threats, and even visa denials from U.S. authorities over accusations of promoting criminal activity.
The musicians’ last communication to their families was a message stating they were en route to their gig. After that, all contact ceased.
The news of their disappearance sparked public outrage across Tamaulipas, a state long plagued by cartel conflicts. Families of the missing men reported their absence, prompting community protests. On Wednesday, demonstrators temporarily blocked the international bridge between Reynosa and Pharr, Texas, later gathering at a local cathedral to hold a vigil and offer prayers.
Reynosa has seen a steady rise in violent incidents since 2017, as criminal groups battle for dominance over illicit activities such as drug trafficking, human smuggling, and fuel theft. The recent tragedy echoes a 2018 case involving another local band, Los Norteños de Río Bravo, whose members were kidnapped and later found murdered along a federal highway near the city.
The discovery of the bodies marks another grim chapter in the ongoing crisis facing artists and civilians caught in the crossfire of organized crime in northern Mexico.
