Ernesto Baltazar Hernández Vilchis, a 43-year-old priest who had been reported missing since October 27, was found dead in a river of wastewater in the municipality of Nextlalpan, the Attorney General's Office of the central State of Mexico (FGJEM) reported this Thursday. In a statement, authorities confirmed that the priest was a victim of homicide and detailed that two people have been detained for their alleged participation in the crime, while an arrest warrant has been issued for another woman. The detainees were identified as María Fernanda 'N' and Brandon Jonathan 'N', detained in Cuautitlán. Both have been admitted to correctional facilities and are at the disposal of a judge. According to the Prosecutor's Office, the two “intervened deliberately, jointly and in a planned manner in the deprivation of liberty and subsequent disappearance of the victim.” According to the investigation, the priest was last seen on October 27 when he left his home for a property in the Morelos Housing Unit, in Tultitlán, accompanied by a woman. Brandon Jonathan 'N' was already waiting for him at the location. For several hours, the priest socialized with both of them, consuming alcoholic beverages and narcotics, according to the authorities' version. At some point, the man allegedly attacked the priest with a sharp object, causing his death. Subsequently, María Fernanda 'N', Brandon Jonathan's romantic partner, allegedly arrived at the scene to help hide the body, which was wrapped in bags and tied to a chair, according to the FGJEM. On October 30, the suspects moved the remains to Nextlalpan, where they abandoned them in a river of wastewater. On November 11, following the confession of the detainees, authorities located the body, whose identity was confirmed through forensic and genetic tests in the early hours of this Thursday. The disappearance of Hernández Vilchis was reported by the Diocese of Cuautitlán, which on November 1 issued a statement asking for help in his search and urged against spreading unverified information. Bishop Efraín Mendoza Cruz then stated that civil authorities were already conducting searches according to protocols and reiterated the diocese's willingness to collaborate “within the legal framework.” This case adds to a series of attacks and murders of priests in Mexico, where the National Dialogue for Peace organization has documented 67 cases between 1990 and 2024, many linked to the violence of organized crime. Priest Jorge Atilano, executive director of this initiative, warned that criminal groups “have extended their control to local governments” and have found in some municipalities a source of resources to finance their operations.
