— Domani Spero
We’ve blogged previously about the US Consulate -related slayings in Ciudad Juarez in 2010. The victims of that tragic incident were El Paso County sheriff’s detention officer Arthur Redelfs, his wife Lesley Ann Enriquez Redelfs, who worked at the U.S. Consulate in Juárez, and Jorge Salcido Ceniceros, husband of Hilda Salcido who also worked at the consulate.
- March 14, 2010: Three from US Consulate General Ciudad Juárez Dies in Drive-By Shooting
- March 16, 2010: More on CG Ciudad Juarez Casualties, Authorized Departure, Threats
- March 29, 2010: Snapshot: US Consulate General Cd. Juarez
- May 6, 2010: US ConGen Cd. Juarez Employee Targeted for Assassination?
- July 3, 2012: Barrio Azteca Leader Extradited to the US for US Consulate Cd. Juarez Murders
- July 15, 2011: US Consulate General Cd. Juarez Warning: Threats of Violence Against USG Interests
El Paso Times’ Diana Washington Valdez has covered this case from the beginning. According to EPT, the jury was selected on January 31, 2014:
Jury selection gets underway today in the trial of an alleged drug cartel enforcer accused of taking part in the slayings of three people associated with the U.S. Consulate in Juárez in 2010.
Arturo “Benny” Gallegos Castrellon, who pleaded not guilty, claims in court filings that he confessed to the crime because he was tortured and his wife raped by Mexican police before he was extradited to the United States in 2012.
[…]
U.S. officials have not offered a clear motive for the three slayings in 2010, except to suggest that the killers might have confused the victims for rivals. Evidence from the trial may shed light on why the trio was attacked.The three victims had left a children’s party in Juárez attended by consulate employees and their families, and were in two separate vehicles, Redelfs and his wife in one, and Salcido in the second vehicle. Both vehicles were white in color.
Shooters, who were also in separate vehicles, followed the two white cars and shot them up in Juárez near the Stanton Street bridge.
Read more here.
Catch up on the trial below — see links to the El Paso Times coverage:
Juarez consulate killings: Opening statements begin
02/03/2014 – The government presented opening statements this morning in the trial of Arturo “Benny” Gallegos Castrellon, an alleged drug cartel enforcer accused of taking part in the slayings of three people associated with the U.S. Consulate in Juarez in 2010.
US Consulate trial: Barrio Azteca gang member recounts killings during Juarez cartel war
02/04/2014 – A Barrio Azteca gang member gave bone-chilling testimony Monday about his role in the violence that ignited Juarez during the drug cartel wars and left among its victims a U.S.
Juarez consulate trial: FBI agent says the accused never told him he was tortured in Mexico
02/05/2014 – The defendant in a federal trial accused of conspiring to kill three people linked to the U.S. Consulate in Juarez in 2010 did not tell FBI agents that Mexican police tortured him…
Juarez consulate killings: Witness says Barrio Aztecas were trained by Zetas cartel
02/05/2014 – A Barrio Azteca gang member turned government witness testified Tuesday that his gang had received training on how to become better killers from the notorious Zetas drug cartel.
Juarez consulate trial: Relative of kingpin Vicente Carrillo Fuentes testifies
02/07/2014 – A relative of Mexican drug kingpin Vicente Carrillo Fuentes testified Thursday as a government witness in the federal trial of Arturo Gallegos Castrellon, an alleged Barrio Azteca leader accused of conspiring to kill three people with links to the U.S. Consulate in Juarez.
El Paso Barrio Azteca gang helped arm counterparts in Juarez
02/08/2014 – Barrio Azteca gang members in El Paso provided firearms and ammunition to counterparts in Juarez and used women as drug mules to smuggle heroin into the United States, said former gang members
US Consulate trial: DEA source set up secure network for Juarez cartel
02/11/2014 – A telecommunications specialist from Mexico testified Monday that he helped set up a secure radio network for the Barrio Azteca and La Linea members in 2010 that was used to relay orders to kill …
US Consulate killings trial: Witness says defendant ordered the slayings
02/12/2014 – A Barrio Azteca member who admitted taking part in the March 2010 slaying of three people with ties to the U.S. Consulate in Juarez testified Tuesday that Arturo Gallegos Castrellon gave the order…
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Related articles
- Week 1: Barrio Aztecas U.S.Consulate Murder Trial (borderlandbeat.com)
- Cartel hitman testifies to 800 murders, daily quotas at kingpin’s trial (foxnews.com)
- Mexican drug cartel hitman says he committed 800 murders before he stopped keeping track (dailymail.co.uk)
- Hitman says cross-border gang being trained by Zetas cartel in testimony (latino.foxnews.com)
- Testimony: The DEA Paid $125,000 to Build an Encrypted Cartel Radio Network (motherboard.vice.com)
- Zetas Trained Barrio Aztecas in the Art of Murder, Witness Testifies (hispanicbusiness.com)
- Cartel hitman testifies to over 800 murders and daily quotas (intellihub.com)
