A Mexican journalist was killed on Monday after being kidnapped by gunmen in Tijuana, according to police sources.
Ramon Abel Lopez, 53, became the eighth journalist to be killed in Mexico when he was found dead having been killed by a single bullet to the head.
His body was “found in a vacant lot, shot in the head,” explained Tijuana police spokesperson, Julian Dominguez.
Local news sources have provided differing accounts of the circumstances surrounding his death, with some suggesting that he was taken from his home and others stating that the journalist was taken from a party.
His disappearance was reported to the authorities by his family, who later identified his body.
Lopez was a photojournalist and director of the website www.tijuanainformativo.info in the country where over 80 journalists have been killed since 2000 and at least 15 others are currently missing, according to the National Human Rights Commission.
The website carried a message declaring “Rest in Peace Abel Aguilar Lopez” and said that work on the site would resume on October 18 while thanking readers for their understanding and patience.
Mexico is currently one of the world’s most dangerous countries for media professionals, who are targeted by cartels in the midst of the nation’s drugs and gang warfare.
Reporters Without Borders rates the country as 149th out of 179 countries on the media organisation’s World Press Freedom Index.
