2 missing Chicago men found dead outside Mexico City, family confirms

MEXICO CITY (AP) — A missing Chicago couple were among a number of bodies found last week on the outskirts of Mexico City, their family confirmed on Wednesday.

U.S. citizen Zafar Padamese Mawani and his partner Guillermo Jafett Hidalgo Ortiz had gone missing in May south of the Mexican capital. Authorities had been searching for the men, who had moved from Chicago to Mexico City together, after making a number of arrests related to the case.

Detainees later told authorities where to search for the bodies, leading Mexican prosecutors to uncover four unidentified bodies in the mountains.

On Wednesday, the family of Mawani said Mexican authorities confirmed their loved ones had died, and remembered them in an outpouring of grief.

“We are grateful beyond words to everyone who tried to help bring Zafar home to us – investigators on the ground, our core strategy and support team, authorities in both countries, generous volunteer organizations, as well as friends and loved ones who stepped forward to help without being asked,” the family wrote in a statement.

Mawani and Hidalgo Ortiz lived in Chicago and Mexico City, according to Cate Taylor, a spokesperson for Mawani’s family. NBC News Chicago reported in late May that the men were spending time in Mexico to care for Mawani’s mother. The outlet also reported unusual withdrawals from the couple’s bank accounts.

According to the federal government’s official missing-person bulletin, Mawani was 56 and a U.S. citizen. The bulletin for Hidalgo Ortiz, issued by Mexico City authorities, states that he was also 56. It does not specify his nationality, but notes that he was with Mawani when they disappeared south of Mexico City, about 50 kilometers (31 miles) east of the mountains of La Marquesa National Park.

More than 135,000 people are missing in Mexico as a product of criminal violence, according to the most recent federal data. The number missing continues to climb even as homicide figures have sharply dropped since President Claudia Sheinbaum took office in 2024.

A total of 977 people were reported missing in Mexico during the month of May, according to the country’s official missing persons registry.

In recent days, relatives’ groups have staged protests while Mexico serves as a co-host of the FIFA World Cup. They are demanding greater attention to the issue and more resources for searches, which are generally led by family members themselves. One of their recurring complaints is that authorities act more quickly when the missing people are foreigners.