The Matamoros Ritual Killings

Between 1986 and 1989, a drug-trafficking group led by Cuban-American Adolfo Constanzo carried out a series of ritual killings at a remote ranch near Matamoros, Mexico, using elements drawn from Palo Mayombe, an Afro-Cuban religious tradition, which Constanzo distorted for his own purposes. The group's practices were not representative of that religion or any other legitimate faith.

How it was discovered

The killings, mostly of people whose disappearances drew little attention, went largely unnoticed until American college student Mark Kilroy was abducted while on spring break in March 1989. The search for Kilroy, driven by pressure from his family and U.S. officials, led police to the ranch, where investigators found the remains of at least fifteen victims.

Standoff and death

As police closed in on his hideout in Mexico City in May 1989, Constanzo opened fire during a confrontation. Rather than be captured, he ordered a follower to shoot him, ending the standoff.

Aftermath

Several of Constanzo's followers, including his second-in-command, Sara Aldrete, were convicted and sentenced to lengthy prison terms.