Missing Ohio Architect, Fiancee, 2 of Her Relatives Found Dead in a Shocking Scene in Mexico

An Ohio architect, his fiancee, and two of her relatives who went missing on Christmas Day in Mexico were found dead.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Champlin Architecture revealed the death of one of their employees, Jose Gutierrez, while spending the holidays in Mexico with his 31-year-old fiancée, Daniela Pichardo.

"We will all miss him more than words can express," the company wrote.

According to local media, Mexican officials discovered four bodies and a bullet-riddled van in Zacatecas state last week.

Three bodies were identified as Pichardo, her 26-year-old sister, Viviana Marquez, and their 27-year-old cousin, Irma Vargas.

The fourth body is believed to be the remains of Gutierrez, according to The New York Post.

What Happened to the Missing Ohio Architect and His Fiancée?

The van reportedly had blown tires and at least a dozen bullet holes. TV Azteca reported that it was likely the vehicle of the four that had been used to get around Zacatecas.

After Christmas Day, Gutierrez and Pichardo's families never heard anything from them, News.com.au reported.

They believed they had been kidnapped as several witnesses said they heard screams and watched the four being dragged into a van.

The four reportedly went out to eat at a local bar before they were taken. The 36-year-old Ohio architect traveled to Mexico to visit his fiancée before their 2023 wedding date.

His family noted that it was a trip that Gutierrez often makes. Gutierrez was born in Mexico and is the oldest of seven siblings.

He got his master's from Miami University and worked as an architect for the Cincinnati firm. His family has said he was a role model who overcame all the odds to get his degree.

The Cincinnati-based Champlin Architecture said it plans to create a scholarship in Gutierrez's name at his alma mater "to honour his impact to our firm and the community."

Mexico's Zacatecas State in U.S. Travel Warning

The U.S. State Department lists Zacatecas on its "do not travel to" advisory for Americans. The travel warning was issued due to the increasing violence and kidnappings in the state.

Zacatecas has become the center for violence, with powerful organized crime groups fighting over the region's strategic location.

The state has highways that head toward the northern border and the Pacific coast. Between 2015 and 2021, the number of murders in Zacatecas increased by 40%.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador responded to the growing violence in the area by sending around 4,000 members of the military last November.

Government figures showed that at least 666 kidnappings were reported in Mexico from January to November last year, compared with 625 in 2021.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

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