Flaviano López, a 50-year-old taxi driver and retired military man, was shot in the head and killed on the night of July 9 in Mexicali, Baja California, by three teenagers—aged 13, 15, and 16—who had requested a ride via the DiDi platform.
The minors burned the body, stole the car, and recorded the crime on a cell phone. Despite the brutality of the act, current legislation allows them to face sentences of between 3 and 5 years of confinement.
The Baja California State Attorney General’s Office (FGEBC) confirmed the arrest of the three suspects on Monday, July 13. They have already been brought before the authorities on charges of aggravated homicide (specifically involving an imbalance of power/advantage), vehicle theft, and the improper handling of a corpse, according to Attorney General María Elena Andrade Ramírez, who spoke at a press conference.
Sentences are determined individually based on age: the 13-year-old minor could receive a maximum of 3 years of confinement, while the 15-year-old could face up to 5 years.
Flaviano López left his home in the Conjunto Urbano Esperanza neighborhood on the night of Thursday, July 9, to work as a ride-hailing driver. That was the last time his family had contact with him. His relatives filed a missing person report with the FGEBC, which issued a search alert on the afternoon of Friday, July 10.
