The violent murder of the keyboardist Jonathan Meléndez for Mexican rock band Camilo Séptimo in an affluent residential complex on the outskirts of Mexico City has horrified the country and sparked various questions about what happened.
Mexican musician Jonathan Meléndez, his wife, who was four months pregnant, their three-year-old daughter, and a domestic helper were discovered tied up and slain inside the keyboardist’s house.
The incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon in Atizapán de Zaragoza, a municipality in the State of Mexico’s metropolitan region near the country’s capital.
Another of the couple’s children, a 6-year-old, was discovered alive and undamaged on the scene. Local officials said the 3-year-old daughter was shot in the head at close range.
The victims, including the family dog, were restrained with duct tape. The parents and their daughter were shot in the head, while the maid was hit in the back.
Meléndez, 38, also known as “Honas”, was a songwriter and keyboardist for the alternative rock band Camilo Séptimo, which was set to perform later this month in Ciudad Juárez.
Two Suspects Have Been Arrested
Mexico’s Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection, Omar García Harfuch, claimed the arrest of two individuals in a coordinated operation with officials from the State of Mexico, Mexico City, and the federal government, allowing them to be located in less than 12 hours.
According to the official, one of them was a member of Meléndez’s inner circle and reportedly used their trusting connection to get access to the department.
“The investigation established that one of those arrested was a business partner of one of the victims. He allegedly took advantage of this relationship of trust to gain entry to the home,” García Harfuch stated.
Authorities identified the detainees as Diego Sebastián ‘N’, described as a “partner” of the Mexican musician, and Gerardo ‘N’.
The secretary emphasized that “faced with a crime of this gravity, the institutions acted immediately and in a coordinated manner.”
Local media report that neighbors of the family reported hearing screams and gunshots. The bodies were found in the apartment, located on the top floor of the building, shortly before midnight.
The two suspects will be brought before a judge, authorities said.
While Claudia Sheinbaum’s government highlights the statistical reduction of violent homicides in Mexico as a great achievement, crimes with multiple victims, such as that of the keyboardist and his family, continue to occur.
