Update: Mexican Cartel Issues An Apology & Turns Over Men ‘Directly Involved & Responsible’ For Kidnapping 4 Americans, Killing 2 Victims

Latavia “Tay” McGee, Shaeed Woodard (2 of the 4 victims)

Update: Mexican Cartel Issues An Apology & Turns Over Men ‘Directly Involved & Responsible’ For Kidnapping 4 Americans, Killing 2 Victims

Update: (Mar. 9, 2023): The Mexican cartel has issued an apology for kidnapping four Americans and killing two of the victims.

Reportedly, five men were found tied up near a pickup truck on Thursday morning (Mar. 9) in the Mexican border city of Matamoros. A handwritten apology note was found placed on the windshield of the truck

According to reports, the apology letter is from the Mexican Scorpions faction of the Gulf cartel. In the letter, the Gulf cartel apologized to the victims impacted by their actions — the residents of Matamoros where the Americans were kidnapped, the Mexican woman who died during the cartel shootout, and the four Americans and their families.

The letter states,

“We have decided to turn over those who were directly involved and responsible in the events, who at all times acted under their own decision-making and lack of discipline,”

According to the letter, the individuals who were turned over went against the cartel’s rules, which include “respecting the life and well-being of the innocent.” Reports claim the five men were taken into custody by Tamaulipas State Police, where they remain.

As previously reported, news broke earlier this week that four Americans had been abducted by the cartel after gunmen opened fire on their vehicle in Matamoros, Mexico. Unfortunately, two of the Americans were killed. The two survivors were reportedly returned to the U.S. on Tuesday (March 7).

[VIA 1,2]

Original story: (Mar. 7, 2023): Sad news.

Two of the four U.S. citizens who went missing after a violent kidnapping in Mexico last week have been found dead. The two other victims are reportedly alive.

According to recent reports, Tamaulipas Gov. Américo Villarreal said that one of the surviving U.S. citizens is severely injured and the other is not. The two surviving Americans were safely escorted to an international bridge at the U.S.-Mexico border by federal and state officials, according to the attorney general in Tamaulipas.

If you didn’t already know, four Americans were reportedly kidnapped on March 3 after gunmen opened fire on their vehicle in Matamoros, a border city in northern Mexico. According to reports, the group of friends traveled from South Carolina in a white minivan so one of them — a mother of six — could undergo a medical procedure across the border.

A now-viral video posted to Twitter appears to show the moment the Americans were kidnapped. In the video, a woman is seen walking alone before seemingly being forced into a white pickup truck. Men armed with guns and wearing bulletproof vests then appeared to force several others into the vehicle. At least two of the victims were seen being dragged across the pavement toward the truck.

Just the usual dragging of bodies after a cartel shootout in broad daylight, today in Matamoros.#Mexico #Narcostate #FailedState pic.twitter.com/bfWwNgjBcB

— David Wolf (@DavidWolf777) March 4, 2023

The FBI reportedly said,

“All four Americans were placed in a vehicle and taken from the scene by armed men.”

Reports state the FBI announced a $50,000 reward in exchange for the four victims’ return as well as the kidnappers’ arrests at the time of the abduction. Investigators believe a Mexican cartel likely mistook the group for Haitian drug smugglers.

Reportedly, Mexico President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said on Monday (Mar. 6) that the four victims had crossed into Mexico from Texas and found themselves caught in the crossfire between two groups of armed individuals. Officials previously said an innocent bystander had also died in Friday’s crossfire. The victim was determined to be a Mexican woman, but her identity is not known.

Both survivors were reportedly returned to the U.S. by Tuesday afternoon (March 7). The group was found as a result of joint search operations, but information on where they were located and how they were rescued has not yet been released. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said that one person is in custody in connection with the crime, according to reports.

Recent reports state that the kidnapped Americans are identified as Latavia “Tay” McGee, Shaeed Woodard, Eric James Williams, and Zindell Brown. Mexican officials have not confirmed any information about who died and who survived.

According to the governor of Tamaulipas state, two of the four Americans who were shot at and kidnapped after crossing the border into northern Mexico have died ? ??The four individuals rented a car and were reportedly traveling to Mexico for a medical procedure. pic.twitter.com/MDxNjxq82d

— theJasmineBRAND (@thejasminebrand) March 7, 2023

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the victims of this horrific tragedy.

[Sources: 1, 2]