The story of four American citizens abducted by armed men after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border into Matamoros last week came to a tragic conclusion on Tuesday morning when Mexican officials announced that two of the four were found dead, the third was alive but wounded, and the fourth is apparently in fair condition, considering the circumstances.
BREAKING: Two of the four Americans who were fired upon & kidnapped by gunmen in Matamoros, MX have been found dead, according to the governor of Tamaulipas. The two others were found alive alive, one of whom is wounded, he says. Matamoros is controlled by the Gulf Cartel.
— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) March 7, 2023
At a news conference held Tuesday morning, Mexican officials announced they had confirmed "that the four Americans were located" and "ambulances are rushing to the area" to recover the U.S. citizens.
According to The Washington Post, another official "said the Americans were found in the village of Tecolote, about 15 miles from the border city of Matamoros" where the four were kidnapped. As Bill Melugin noted, Matamoros is controlled by the dangerous "Cartel del Golfo" or Gulf Cartel.
The victims of the kidnapping were reportedly not targeted before they were abducted, and there's no evidence the four U.S. citizens were tied to organized crime in either country, according to American officials.
As Julio reported on Monday, the four Americans from Texas were fired upon by gunmen and abducted on March 3 after crossing into Matamoros, Mexico. The FBI subsequently announced a reward of $50,000 for the victims' return and arrest of those involved in the abduction.
Officials have not named the victims, but family members have reportedly identified them as "three friends who were accompanying a fourth who planned to undergo a medical procedure there," a "tummy tuck" according to The Washington Post.
This is a developing story and may be updated.