Authorities have arrested the alleged leader of a Mexican drug cartel in connection with the murder of three Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints mothers and their six children in November 2019, The Telegraph reported Wednesday.
Roberto González Montes is a former police officer who is said to be the brains behind the La Linea drug cartel in Chihuahua, Mexico.
Montes - who is known in crime circles as Mudo or El 32 - was arrested along with other suspected cartel personnel including Santiago Casavantes Radovich and Eulalio Domínguez Alanís, sources told El Diario.
Montes was taken into custody in a joint-forces operation conducted by the attorney general's office without assistance from the central government because of concerns corrupt officials would tip off Montes. Montes has been taken to Mexico City to face charges.
The murder of the 17 mothers and children - and dual American-Mexican citizens - sparked condemnation. They were traveling to a wedding and accidently strayed into cartel territory. They were killed when the cartel fired on their vehicle.
Their bodies were set on fire. Some of the passengers escaped into the desert and were later rescued.
The victims were part of the LeBaron family and were descendants of a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints group that settled in Sonora, Mexico's border state, around 50 years ago.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is commonly known as The Mormons.
The LeBaron family frequently clashed with the cartels - who feared they would report their activities to the police.
Cartel killings are frequent in Mexico. Around 200,000 people have been killed since the government declared war on the drug organization in 2006.
