The bodies of five musicians from the Mexican regional music band Grupo Fugitivo were discovered near the Texas border in Reynosa, Mexico, on May 29, 2025, following their disappearance on May 25 while traveling to a performance venue.
Tamaulipas state prosecutors reported that the band members, aged between 20 and 40 years old, were kidnapped around 10 p.m. on May 25 while traveling in an SUV to a venue where they were hired to perform. The musicians had been reported missing since that Sunday evening, sparking widespread concern in the border region.
Their bodies were found on the outskirts of Reynosa, a Mexican border city adjacent to the United States. Local media reports indicated that the bodies had been burned, though authorities did not immediately confirm these details or provide information about the motive for the killings.
Nine suspects believed to be part of a faction of the Gulf Cartel have been arrested in connection with the murders. The Gulf Cartel maintains a strong presence in Reynosa and the surrounding area, which has been plagued by escalating violence since 2017 due to internal disputes among criminal groups vying for control of drug trafficking, human smuggling and fuel theft.
Family members reported receiving ransom demands for the musicians after their disappearance. According to relatives, the band arrived at what they expected to be their performance venue only to find a vacant lot. The last communication from the group occurred on the night they were kidnapped, when they told family members they were on their way to the event.
The disappearance of Grupo Fugitivo caused significant public outcry in Tamaulipas, a state long affected by cartel warfare. Family members reported the disappearances and called for public support, leading to street protests. On May 28, protesters blocked the international bridge connecting Reynosa and Pharr, Texas, before gathering at a local cathedral to pray and make offerings for the missing musicians.
Grupo Fugitivo played Mexican regional music, a genre that encompasses various styles including corridos and cumbia. This musical style has gained international recognition in recent years, with some young artists paying homage to drug cartel leaders, often portraying them as Robin Hood-type figures. However, it remains unclear whether the group performed such songs or if they were simply victims of the rampant violence that has affected the city.
The genre has attracted attention from Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who recently launched a music contest “for peace and against addictions” to counter the popularity of narcocorridos among young people in Mexico and the United States. Several regions in Mexico have banned this controversial sub-genre of music.
Musicians in this genre have previously faced threats from criminal organizations. In April 2025, the U.S. State Department revoked the visas of members of the Mexican band Los Alegres del Barranco after they projected the face of Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader Nemesio Rubén “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes during a concert in Jalisco. The Trump administration has taken action against artists accused of glorifying criminal violence.
This incident follows a pattern of violence against musicians in the region. In 2018, armed men kidnapped two members of the musical group “Los Norteños de Río Bravo,” whose bodies were later found on the federal highway connecting Reynosa to Río Bravo, Tamaulipas. In 2013, 17 musicians from the group Kombo Kolombia were executed by alleged cartel members in the northeastern state of Nuevo León.
In January 2025, a small plane reportedly dropped pamphlets on a northwestern city threatening around 20 music artists and influencers for alleged dealings with a warring faction of the Sinaloa drug cartel, demonstrating the ongoing risks faced by performers in the regional music scene.
The case has prompted increased federal attention to cross-border criminal activity. U.S. officials in San Antonio and throughout South Texas have intensified efforts to halt the flow of guns purchased in the United States and trafficked into Mexico, where they often end up with violent cartels. New penalties have been introduced for gun trafficking, with consequences of up to 15 years in prison and $250,000 in fines.
The Jalisco cartel and other criminal groups in Mexico have been designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the Trump administration, elevating the consequences for those who aid them. Donald Kusser of Customs and Border Protection emphasized that “every firearm that crosses that border into the hands of a criminal organization represents a potential act of terror.”
The investigation into the murders of the Grupo Fugitivo members remains ongoing, with authorities working to determine the specific motive behind the killings. The case highlights the dangerous conditions facing musicians and other civilians in border regions affected by cartel violence and territorial disputes.
Sources:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/musicians-dead-near-us-border-mexico-cartel-members-arrested/
https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/texas/grupo-fugitivo-reynosa-found-dead-mexico/285-543f637b-c425-4809-a357-a1fad1475c4e
https://nypost.com/2025/05/30/world-news/bodies-of-5-missing-musicians-of-mexican-regional-music-band-are-found-near-texas-border/
https://people.com/bodies-found-in-mexico-believed-to-be-missing-band-members-11745419
http://www.katv.com/news/nation-world/federal-agencies-in-south-texas-intensify-fight-against-gun-smuggling-to-mexican-cartels
