11 Bodies Discovered in Shallow Graves in Mexico Near Hometown of Knights Templar Mexican Drug Cartel Leader

Mexican authorities have discovered 11 bodies in shallow clandestine graves in the western part of the nation. Authorities have begun investigating the causes of the death and the identities of those discovered in the shallow graves.

Mexican authorities found two graves in the state of Michoacan in western Mexico, according to the EFE news agency. The first grave was found near the town of Tumbiscatio, said a spokesperson from Michoacan's attorney general's office, and contained nine bodies: two women and seven men.

The grave was found near the hometown of Knights Templar drug cartel leader Servando Gomez Martinez, known as "La Tuta." The attorney general's office has begun investigating whether Gomez is linked to the murders, which happened two years ago. Investigators concluded the victims were executed.

The AFP reports that authorities were informed of the grave through an anonymous tip.

"The nine corpses were discovered because of an anonymous report that alerted us to the clandestine grave," an agent from the attorney general's office, who requested anonymity, told AFP.

The AFP adds that the Mexican military in April took down one of the Knights Templar's leaders, Nazario Moreno, in the same region. The group had a training camp and a base of operations in the area as well.

Another two bodies were discovered in a shallow grave near the town of La Mira, according to EFE. Federal authorities discovered this shallow grave near a mango farm as part of an operation to search for clandestine graves. The attorney general's office says that the two victims were killed about a year ago.

The attorney general's office spokesperson pointed out that authorities have been conducting searches for clandestine graves in Michoacan state, in particular near the port of Lazaro Cardenas, used by the Knights Templar.

Univision reports that federal authorities were alerted of another shallow grave in Tialmanalco, Mexico state, near the site where last year the bodies of 13 kidnapped young men were discovered. Though the number of bodies found has not been released, local media reports at least three bodies are female.