Luis Mario Zúñiga Ramos, a 49-year-old jewelry businessman and U.S. citizen, was released alive on the morning of Saturday, September 19, 2026, after being held against his will for nearly 48 hours by an armed group in Culiacán, Sinaloa.
Sources from the Sinaloa State Attorney General’s Office (FGE) confirmed that Zúñiga Ramos returned home in good health.
Following reports of his reappearance, agents from the Criminal Investigation Police went to his residence to verify his physical condition and begin the necessary interviews to compile the investigation file.
The incident dates back to 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, September 17, when the 911 emergency service received a call reporting the abduction of a person from the underground parking lot of a commercial complex located at the intersection of Enrique Sánchez Alonso and Diego Valadés Ríos boulevards, in the Tres Ríos Urban Development area.
Officers from municipal, state, and federal agencies responded to the scene, securing and inspecting the perimeter to document ballistic evidence and request an analysis of video surveillance systems.
Although security forces launched search operations across various parts of Culiacán in the days that followed, the searches did not yield immediate results.
According to investigating authorities, the businessman was released by his captors at an undisclosed location in the city. The FGE ruled out kidnapping charges, as no ransom demands had been made; however, investigations remain open to clarify the motive behind the incident and identify those responsible.
