A devastated family is concerned that their relative may be one of the many victims whose cremated remains were discovered on a ranch in Mexico, drawn in by the allure of a transformative job opportunity.
Shocking images from an abandoned ranch in Jalisco, Mexico, captured global attention on March 5 when a volunteer group searching for individuals reported missing came across what appeared to be a mass grave.
Rescuers from the group Guerreros Buscadores de Jalisco dug up what they claimed were three outdoor cremation furnaces, human remains, and hundreds of bone fragments at the ranch, known as Rancho Izaguirre, about 90 miles inland from Puerto Vallarta.
The location was also filled with countless personal belongings, including over 250 pairs of shoes, heaps of clothes, jewelry, identification cards, children’s toys, backpacks, and suitcases, prompting the search group to label it as an “extermination camp” previously operated by the notorious Jalisco New Generation Cartel, with locals dubbing it the Auschwitz of Mexico.
‘Lured by Dream Salary’
A woman named Rubi, who prefers to keep her last name private for safety reasons, conveyed to The U.S. Sun that her family has been anxiously searching for her younger sister for nearly a year. With the recent news concerning Rancho Izaguirre emerging online, a wave of anxiety washed over them.
Her sister, Merari Noemi Garcia Mejia, aged 19, disappeared on May 20, 2024. Prior to her disappearance, she had received a WhatsApp message from someone representing a company offering her a life-changing job outside Jalisco, promising a weekly salary of 6,000 pesos (about $250 USD) in addition to free accommodation and meals.
Upon learning about the grim finds at the ranch, Rubi recognized items resembling her sister’s shoes and a bag during a video broadcast from the search group. This was compounded by the heartbreaking identification of her sister’s unique Bible, which confirmed her worst fears.
While hope remains for her sister’s safe return, Rubi’s family continues to await results from a government investigation, with the attorney general’s preliminary report expected soon. Until they receive definitive evidence concerning Merari’s fate, the family refuses to declare her deceased.
