The Attorney General of the state of Oaxaca, Bernardo Rodríguez Alamilla, confirmed the discovery of the bodies of Sandra Estefana Domínguez Martínez, a human rights defender, and her husband Alexander Hernández, who had been missing since October 8, 2024. The preliminary investigation suggests that the couple's disappearance and death are linked to a conflict between criminal gangs, with Domínguez's husband involved in these criminal activities, resulting in Domínguez becoming a collateral victim.
The remains were identified after being transferred to the Institute of Forensic Services, thanks to the location of the mobile phone and the truck of one of the victims in Veracruz, days after their disappearance. Rodríguez Alamilla detailed in a press conference that both Domínguez and her husband were indirect victims of a struggle between organized crime groups. Additionally, it was reported that the main suspect in their disappearance was killed along with two others in a confrontation with the police at the end of January at his home, in an operation that also cost the life of an officer.
This event underscores the dangerous intersection between human rights activism and criminal violence affecting various regions of Mexico. The couple was found dead on a ranch in the state of Veracruz on April 24, after Mexican police explored the area.
