We ventured deep into Mexican cartel terrirory, where we discovered numerous murder victims and evidence of Santa Muerte worship.

The Mexican state of Sonora, directly across the border from Arizona, has become a war zone notorious for brutal cartel violence. In October 2024, U.S. Marine Nicholas Quets was murdered in Caborca, Sonora. Shortly after passing a cartel checkpoint near Caborca, Quets was shot to death by gunmen connected with the Sinaloa Cartel. Other Americans, including two elderly Arizona women (aged 72 and 82), had been murdered in the area under similar circumstances in August 2024.

Over the course of our recent investigation in the Sonoran desert, we discovered four murder victims. Among them, one was found with his face cut off – a hallmark of cartel violence. Another was found with a bullet in his head. While these were certainly cartel murders, it's impossible to determine which cartel was responsible.

Many Mexican cartel members engage in bloody cult practices centered around Santa Muerte, also known as the saint of death. The worship of Santa Muerte has been described as a central aspect of Mexican narco-culture, and numerous killings have been reported in direct connection to the cult. In 2012, three people, including two ten year old boys, were murdered in Sonora in order to appease the so-called saint. The Sonora State Investigative Police (PEI) have described the cult as a "Satanic sect."

In the Sonora desert, we discovered further evidence suggesting a connection between recent cartel murders and the Santa Muerte cult. While investigating a tip pointing to the location of cartel killings, we discovered an ornament connected to the worship of Santa Muerte.

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Santa Muerte Ornament by Muckraker CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

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Stay tuned for our full report, which will expose the threat cartel violence poses to American lives, and to national security.

Investigating Cartel Killings Across the US Border

Muckraker spent a week in Mexican cartel territory, where we discovered numerous murder victims and evidence of Santa Muerte worship.

The Mexican state of Sonora, directly across the border from Arizona, has become a war zone… pic.twitter.com/8cKh2F2oKo

— Muckraker.com (@realmuckraker) January 3, 2025