In a shocking development, a potential mass grave has been uncovered in western Mexico, adding to the country’s ongoing crisis of disappearances. The discovery was made in Jalisco state when citizen volunteers searching for missing relatives found human remains at a site that authorities had supposedly already investigated.
Discovery in Jalisco
The find in Teuchitlan, about 37 miles west of Guadalajara, involves human remains, dozens of shoes, and heaps of clothing discovered at a remote ranch. The site was allegedly being used as a training base for cartel recruits when National Guard troops first found it in September. What’s particularly disturbing is that state investigators had claimed to have examined the area six months earlier but failed to find what untrained citizens discovered with simple tools like picks and shovels.
Response from Authorities
Mexican officials have now escalated the case to federal level, with Jalisco State Prosecutor Salvador González de los Santos confirming that investigators found six groups of bones. The federal Attorney General’s Office has taken over the investigation at the request of President Claudia Sheinbaum. Authorities have posted photos of evidence hoping that relatives might identify clothing items, with many families already coming forward.
Impact on Local Community
The revelation has deeply affected the search collectives that work throughout Mexico. Members of the Jalisco Search Warriors, who made the discovery, expressed their frustration with authorities’ negligence. Collective leader Indira Navarro described the site as a place for “training and extermination,” questioning how professional investigators with technology failed to find what citizens discovered with basic tools.
Broader Crisis of Disappearances
This discovery highlights Mexico’s devastating problem of more than 120,000 disappeared people. The Mexican Episcopal Conference called the situation an “irresponsible omission” by authorities at all government levels. In recent months alone, multiple mass graves have been found across Mexico, including sites with dozens of bodies in northern Mexico, Guadalajara, Chihuahua, and Chiapas.
- Mass grave discovered in Teuchitlan, Jalisco state, western Mexico
- Find made by civilian search group Jalisco Search Warriors in March 2025
- Site was previously investigated by authorities who missed crucial evidence
- Ranch allegedly served as cartel training facility linked to Jalisco New Generation cartel
- Federal authorities have now taken over the investigation
- Incident connects to broader crisis of 120,000+ disappeared people in Mexico
This newly discovered site serves as a powerful reminder of both the ongoing violence in Mexico and the critical role citizen groups play when official investigations fall short. The focus remains not just on identifying the deceased but also on addressing the government’s failure to properly investigate disappearances.