The lifeless body of Jesús Omar Ibarra Félix, alias “El Chuta”—identified as the leader of the “Chuta Special Forces” (FECH) criminal cell—was discovered early Wednesday morning in the Charay district of the El Fuerte municipality, Sinaloa. This discovery comes months after the U.S. government issued a formal indictment against him for international drug trafficking.
The body was left shortly before 1:00 a.m. beside the community’s landmark sign, located along the Los Mochis-Choix highway. According to initial police reports, the victim—a thin, bearded man found barefoot and dressed in a black T-shirt and jeans—showed visible signs of torture and gunshot wounds.
A native of Los Mochis, Ahome, Ibarra Félix was considered a key figure in the operational structure of northern Sinaloa. For years, he served as a chief of hitmen and led the armed wing responsible for maintaining territorial control for the “La Chapiza” faction. His name gained public prominence at the onset of the recent internal conflict within the Sinaloa Cartel, when his identity and photograph appeared on flyers dropped by rival aircraft over various municipalities in the state to expose high-priority operatives.
Local intelligence reports indicate that, faced with escalating violence and pressure from opponents, “El Chuta” recently chose to betray La Chapiza and seek the backing of Fausto Isidro Meza Flores—alias “El Chapo Isidro”—a leader of the region’s “old guard” criminal element in Guasave and the surrounding areas. Police sources suggest that this defection was viewed as a betrayal by his former bosses, leading to his execution.
However, some reports indicate that “El Chuta” had been summoned to a meeting three days earlier with “El Chapo” Isidro; the latter allegedly betrayed, tortured, and executed him—though all this remains preliminary information.
Alongside the territorial struggle within Sinaloa, Ibarra Félix was facing high-priority legal proceedings on the other side of the border. On March 12, 2026, a federal grand jury in the Northern District of Illinois, based in Chicago, issued a formal indictment against him.
The U.S. Department of Justice case file charged him with the following crimes:
International conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and traffic massive quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine.
Supplying and smuggling machine guns and heavy weaponry intended for the organization’s hit squad operations.
U.S. agencies considered “El Chuta” a key logistical link for the entry of synthetic opioids into the U.S. Midwest.
Following the discovery of the body, officers from the El Fuerte Municipal Police secured the scene and cordoned off the area. Minutes later, forensic experts and investigative agents from the Northern Zone Regional Prosecutor’s Office arrived to collect evidence under strict security protocols.
Mexican Army troops and National Guard members established a security perimeter and stepped up patrols on the roads connecting El Fuerte to the municipality of Ahome, fearing potential violent reprisals following the fall of the criminal leader. Ibarra Félix’s romantic partner arrived at the scene to make a preliminary identification of the remains before the public prosecutor.
