The kidnapping and subsequent murder of retired teacher Irma Hernández Cruz, 62, has highlighted the criminal operations of the self-proclaimed Veracruz Mafia Cartel, also known as the Shadow Group. Authorities are investigating the incident, which has been directly attributed to the victim’s refusal to pay extortion fees, a practice this group imposes on transporters and merchants in the northern region of the state of Veracruz.
Irma Hernández, who after retiring worked as a taxi driver in the municipality of Álamo Temapache, was deprived of her liberty on July 18, 2025. Her body was found six days later, on July 24, in a rural area between the borders of Álamo and the municipality of Cerro Azul, according to official sources.
Two days after her arrest, a video circulated on social media showing Hernández Cruz kneeling and visibly coerced by armed individuals. In the recording, the victim reads a message to her fellow transport workers, warning them of the consequences of failing to comply with the payments demanded by the “Veracruz mafia.”
Veracruz Governor Rocío Nahle reported that the primary line of investigation is the extortion of unpaid rent, as the family had not received a ransom request. She also specified that, according to forensic reports, the cause of death was a heart attack, resulting from the violence she experienced.
