It is “La Chapiza” that is randomly abducting innocent young people in Culiacán to “heat up the turf” (incite conflict); Álvaro’s body was found with a *narcomensaje* (cartel message) left beside it.
Culiacán is going through one of those weeks where the air feels heavy and grief becomes a collective experience. Beyond the cold police statistics, the capital of Sinaloa is suffering a sharp, painful blow: violence seems to have turned viciously against its youth, violently snatching away their futures.
Information indicates that a group of “Los Chapitos” hitmen is roaming the streets of Culiacán to randomly abduct young people. This is no coincidence; since their alliance with the CJNG, the death toll among innocents has skyrocketed. It is worth remembering that the CJNG currently tops the list for such random abductions in other states—where victims are tortured into confessing allegiance to a rival group before being executed, or are forcibly recruited and killed if they refuse.
This may well be what happened to these young men.
What is known is that “La Chapiza” hitmen abduct anyone walking alone at night; those with tattoos and “buchón” (ostentatious cartel-style) attire are their preferred targets. Consequently, many people cast doubt on the victims simply because of their appearance.
Furthermore, we must clarify that accounts aligned with “La Chapiza” never tire of commenting on every post about innocent victims, claiming they belonged to “La Mayiza”—always without proof, of course. But if they are reading this, we want to make it clear: we do not side with any of the groups of low-life thugs causing so much harm to our country. We stand on the side of the truth. If they screw up, we will report it day and night; we will call out whoever is responsible—period.
If they “heat up the turf” (Culiacán), they lose their power there. The community was just coming to terms with the tragic fate of Julio César—the 21-year-old architecture student found dead after days of searching—when fresh news once again chilled the public’s hearts.
The body discovered amidst a downpour in the northern part of the city was that of Álvaro Octavio Duarte Valencia; he was only 22 years old and worked at a Japanese restaurant. Behind his name lies more than just a case file; there is a devastated family and a life full of dreams cut abruptly short.
The nightmare began in the early hours of Thursday, July 30—around 1:30 a.m.—when Álvaro Octavio was abducted near Bulevar de las Américas. At the time, he was wearing the clothes he wore to work: a black shirt and dark trousers.
After losing all contact with him, his loved ones moved heaven and earth to find him. His face flooded social media via a missing person’s flyer describing a tall young man—1.80 meters in height—with brown eyes and a distinctive tattoo covering his left arm. Through agonizing hours, the family clung to the hope of receiving a call that would restore their peace of mind.
Tragically, the answer came in the form of a heartbreaking discovery. While a storm battered the north of the city, residents of the Residencial Campestre neighborhood reported a body lying on the grass of Alberto Vázquez Street; the victim was bound and bore severe signs of torture.
Working against the clock amidst the relentless rain, forensic experts from the Prosecutor’s Office carried out their investigation. Hours later, at the Forensic Medical Service facilities, his clothing and the tattoo on his left arm confirmed the worst suspicion: it was Álvaro.
The tragedies of Álvaro Octavio and Julio César reflect a deep and persistent crisis in the region; 40% of homicide and disappearance victims in Sinaloa are young people under the age of 29. Culiacán remains the epicenter of this grim statistic, where an entire generation confronts the most heartless face of insecurity.
On social media, pleas for help quickly turned into words of farewell and mourning. “Your memory will live on forever—in every moment, every smile, and every beat of our hearts. Thank you for who you were, for all you gave, and for the love you left in our lives. Rest in peace; your light will never go out,” shared loved ones through their tears. Today, Culiacán once again lights a candle for a young person who simply wanted to live.
