“El Tomate,” leader of the Unión Tepito and implicated in the Garibaldi massacre, dies in prison

A man held in the Southern Men’s Preventive Prison in Mexico City stopped responding to guards’ calls, so medical personnel arrived at the cell to evaluate him. Despite CPR, José Mauricio Hernández Gasca, aka El Tomate, no longer showed vital signs.

The man was identified as one of the first leaders of the Unión Tepito criminal group, and his death was confirmed by the Secretariat of Citizen Security (SSC) on September 1.

The Mexico City police report details that El Tomate was receiving treatment for refractory stricture (the esophagus narrows, causing difficulty swallowing) and endoscopic treatment, the result of a bypass surgery eight years earlier. Some news reports indicate that the individual decided to change his physical appearance in order to escape from the authorities.

Meanwhile, on September 14, 2018, a group of armed individuals arrived at Plaza Garibaldi, located in the historic center of the capital, dressed as mariachis.

The suspects fired their weapons at a group of people, leaving six dead and seven wounded. In November, one of the six suspects involved in the events was captured: Luis Fernando “N,” alias El Rata.

Authorities’ investigations also indicate that El Tomate was allegedly involved in the violent events that occurred in Plaza Garibaldi.

Court file 012/765/2018 contains the testimony of a man identified as José Alberto Hernández Villegas. This individual reportedly assured the Public Prosecutor’s Office that José Mauricio Hernández was present at the crime. However, this witness ultimately did not come forward.