Mexican authorities launched an investigation after six severed human heads were discovered Tuesday morning on a road linking the central states of Puebla and Tlaxcala, an area typically considered among Mexico’s safest regions.
The grisly discovery was first reported by a motorist who called 911 at approximately 6:45 a.m. local time on August 19, 2025, stating he observed what appeared to be a human head on the side of the road near the town of San Gabriel Popocatla, according to local outlet La Jornada. The heads, which belonged to men, were found in an apparent state of decomposition in a grassy area alongside the roadway before a gas station.
The Tlaxcala State Attorney General’s Office confirmed the discovery and announced it had opened a formal investigation into the killings. Police officers and experts with the Institute of Forensic Sciences responded to the scene to conduct examinations and begin initial investigations. The office emphasized that the location corresponds to where the remains were discovered, not necessarily where the actual incident occurred.
A blanket was found at the scene containing a message addressed to rival gangs, apparently signed by a group calling itself “La Barredora,” which translates to “the sweeper” in English. This name matches that of a little-known criminal group operating in the western state of Guerrero, though it remains unclear if they were behind the attack or why they would operate in this region. Police sources indicated the note mentioned people accused of extortion and homicide in the area.
Both Puebla and Tlaxcala are generally considered safer travel destinations compared to other Mexican states, with the U.S. State Department designating them Level 2 travel advisories, its second-lowest warning. Tlaxcala accounts for just 0.5 percent of the 14,769 intentional homicides recorded in Mexico from January to July 2025, while Puebla accounts for 3.4 percent, according to official figures.
However, authorities acknowledge that due to their geographic location, both states face problems with criminal groups engaged in drug trafficking, human trafficking, and fuel smuggling known as “huachicoleo,” which generates billions of dollars annually for the organizations involved. The regions are located just over 100 kilometers east of Mexico City in the country’s central area.
The discovery marks an unusual occurrence of extreme violence in these typically peaceful states. Such brutal killings, particularly decapitations, are more commonly associated with northern Mexican states and areas along the Pacific coast where drug cartels maintain stronger operations.
This incident follows other recent gruesome discoveries across Mexico. In June 2025, authorities found 20 bodies along a road in northwest Sinaloa state, five of them headless. In March, the dismembered bodies of nine missing students were discovered by the side of a highway on the border of Puebla and Oaxaca, with a bag of hands belonging to the students found nearby.
The Tlaxcala prosecutor’s office stated it “will continue with the relevant diligence” with the aim of clarifying what happened and imposing responsibility on whoever is found responsible. The victims’ ages, identities, and where they lived were not provided by authorities.
The timing of this discovery coincides with increased pressure on Mexican criminal organizations. Last week, Mexico sent 26 high-ranking cartel figures to the United States in a major deal with the Trump administration, as American authorities increase pressure on criminal networks smuggling drugs across the border.
Violence between cartels has surged in recent years throughout Mexico, with approximately 480,000 people killed in drug-related violence since 2006, when the government deployed federal troops to combat the country’s powerful drug cartels. An additional 130,000 people are reported missing.
Federal authorities have not yet commented on the killings in Tlaxcala. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities work to identify the victims and determine the motive behind the killings.
