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NOGALES, Ariz. (AP) A southern Arizona student and father expecting his first child has been found dead in Nogales, Mexico, with what authorities say are signs of torture.
Sonora State Police say the body of 21-year-old Juan Carlos Navarro of Nogales, Ariz., was found wrapped in a blanket on a roadside in the upscale Colonia Kennedy neighborhood.
The Nogales International reports Navarro had been shot once in the head. He was a 2008 graduate of Nogales High School and was taking college courses with an eye toward a degree in business administration.
Family members tell KGUN-TV Navarro was in school to give his girlfriend and their unborn child a better life.
I’d like to point out that, at this point, that’s all we have. No details. No background. We have no idea what an “Arizona student and father” was doing in Mexico. Could have been work-related or school-related. Could have been visiting family. Could have been drug-related. He could have been in the wrong place at the wrong time. A case of mistaken identity. We don’t know.
If we read between the lines, we can at least speculate as to some answers – or raise more questions. Nogales was where the body was found, in an “upscale” neighborhood. The victim graduated from high school in Nogales. Putting two and two together, I’d say it’s likely he has family there, and is probably a Mexican citizen. The whole “in school to give his girlfriend and their unborn child a better life” thing would indicate that he was living in the United States, going to school. No idea if his girlfriend is an Americano, or if he planned to have his child born in the USA. (But I think we all know the answer to that one.)
Nogales is a stone’s throw from the U.S. border. It’s near Tucson, and near what’s become the murder capital of the U.S. of A., Phoenix. I’m not going to make any wild assumptions here. Too soon for speculation. But given all the crap that’s been going down between the US and Mexico, the ATF mess, Arizona and the border issues, I think this one should be pinging radar, at least until we have more details.
We can speculate forever.
The bottom line for me- young man shot dead in a ditch is a bad thing.
Sorry but “No idea if his girlfriend is an Americano, or if he planned to have his child born in the USA. (But I think we all know the answer to that one.)” is a pretty wild assumption. thetruthaboutracism.com is two doors down, man.
I don’t know about being a wild assumption. An assumption sure. But wild? Why do you think it’s a wild assumption as opposed to just a regular assumption?
(Disclaimer: I am a Hispanic. But hey, Hispanics can be racist also).
Really? I don’t think that assumption is racist in the least. America has better health care than Mexico, our stats on live births are better and our infant mortality rate is much higher than Mexico’s. How is that racist. It’s common sense. If this kid was in the country legally, attending school, then he has every right to have his child born in the USA. If he is a citizen or his girlfriend is, ditto. Don’t presume I’m a racist because I chose to recognize the bleedin’ obvious.
Very well said. I live in Phoenix and see these issues first hand.
First off the guy is an American citizen who graduated from a U.S. High School and is going to college in Arizona, there is no doubt he kid would be an American Citizen. As to his girlfriend, who cares, with the imformation present it’s not germain. Making wild speculations is pointless and creates unneccesary fear, fosters arguments and serves no purpose. Like my grade school teacher said,when you assume, you make an ASS out of U and ME
I don’t have any info on his citizenship. The news article said he graduated from Nogales H.S. If he’s an American citizen, then this is a BIG deal – murdering Americans is not something our State Dept. should be taking with a grain of salt. On the other hand, where is Nogales H.S.? Is it in Arizona, or in Mexico? Did he grow up in Mexico or is he an American, born and bred? I don’t mean to sound as if a Mexican life is worth any less than an American one, but we’ve got to take care of our citizens and put their needs first. The article mentioned that he was going to college to earn a better living for his expectant girlfriend. I specifically stated that we don’t know if SHE’S an American, because it’s germaine to the story, i.e.: is this an American (born or naturalized) who was murdered in Mexico? Is it a Mexican national with blood ties to the USA? It makes a difference in how (or sadly IF) this will be prosecuted.
Look, I took great pains not to assume ANYTHING in the story. We don’t know why the kid was in Mexico. It could be wrong place/wrong time. Zigged when he shoulda zagged. I dunno. But my interest in the story, frankly, is that Mexican violent deaths are getting waaaaay too close to our border (if not already seeping over it) for comfort.
Nogales isn’t near the border, it IS the border. There is a Nogales, Arizona and a Nogales, Mexico. As the story describes this man as going to high school in Nogales, I’d say he’s a U.S. resident because the Mexican school system uses different terms (primaria, secondaria, preparatoria) than the U.S. system does.
On a more personal note, man, does this suck. One of my favourite road trips in the state is Tombstone to Bisbee, across Ft. Hauchuca to Nogales, then up the Interstate and visits to Tubac, Tumacacori and San Xavier. If Nogales (Sonora) is off that list, the drive just won’t be the same.
When you speculate you proffer theories based on limited knowledge and assumptions, and that is what you have done here. You didn’t try to avoid them the last have of your article is based soley on speculative questions. The kid IS and American, he went to school in Nogales, Arizona. If you are going to re-post news stories with your own touches, do a 5 min Google search before you rile everyone up.
Phoenix does not have the highest murder rate in the US or the city with the most amount of murders. however it has been labeled the city with the highest Kidnap rate in the US. Juan Carlos “Peque” Navarro was a natural born US citizen, the ethnicity of the mother of his child is still not germane and given the fact that he is an American citizen in college he has every right to have his child born here in the US healthcare system. I am trying not to trash everything in the article but more care needs to be taken if you are trying to stylize yourself as a “journalist” or an investigative blogger.
http://www.kgun9.com/news/125900338.html
That website posted yesterday has more information on the story. The quote a neighbor as speculating that the murder victims frequent trips to mexico were for less than legal reasons, but there is no proof to back up his claims.
The article states he is from Nogales Arizona. The bylins is written from Nogales Arizona, which means Nogales HS is in Arizona. If it wasn’t they would have called it out in the article.
It was obviously the ATF’s fault.
no country for old men, is it?
Nice
Curious, since when has Phoenix become the murder capital of the US?
maybe since gunwalker? just sayin…….
Legalize the damn drugs already. It will end the pointless violence overnight.
+ 1,000%.
Obliterate all the profit for drug dealers in one fell swoop by legalizing all drugs. Have pharamaceutical companies produce all drugs at a standard potency (no more overdoses, no shady dealers in shady areas), tax it like alcohol then use the proceeds in large part for the admirable souls that choose rehab and a better life. I’m absolutely stupefied that more folks don’t see the ‘smack you in your face’ correlation between the Volstead Act and our ridiculous 40+ year war on drugs. In a truly free country an individual has the absolute RIGHT to put whatever they want into their body. In a truly free country an individual has the intrinsic right to be as stupid as they want. Legalizing drugs would eliminate 2/3 of those in prison and by virtue 2/3 of those taking up money in all stages of the judicial system and incarceration It would also eliminate so many citizens/cops dying over the issue and PUT EVERY DRUG CARTEL OUT OF BUSINESS IMMEDIATELY.
I defy ANYONE to explain to me how the drug cartels could exist in a capacity to hurt our beloved country if drugs were legalized and the pharmaceutical companies took over production.
Just spit-balling here but…
Big pharmacy – overseen and regulated by FDA, employs college graduates that demand a good salary, pays insurance premiums to cover monetary liability when legal issue arises, advertising, must use pharmacists to distribute, get a prescription (doctor visit -or- perhaps cocaine -OTC), product is subject to domestic tariffs (taxes)…I probably left out some stuff.
Cartel – no regulation, low skilled/education workers hoping to live through the day, no liability insurance premiums, word of mouth advertizing and local neighborhood distribution system, no prescription and get it down at the local 7-11, no taxes…etc.
I expect the cartels would undercut the name brand big pharma version with their own generic version.
Please note this is not my area of expertise…perhaps somebody that failed a background check would be able to better explain.
Brad, when someone doesn’t agree with your opinion they go straight to the race card (we all know your no racist). Now it sucks that this guy got killed, but you have to be a fool to go to mexico in the first place. I know you should be able to go anywhere you please, but in the real world if you go to a dangerous place you might get killed.
I have to agree with Joe. At this point, the cause of death of any American in Mexico is “accidental suicide” and can be listed as such on the coroner’s report. It’s a free country (America, Mexico I don’t know about…), and that includes the right to make really poor decisions.
I go to Mexico a few times a year for work. It’s not that dangerous, only some of the areas. In fact, our company has recently had issues with Little Rock, Arkansas more frequently than Mexico. Out of the hot spots it’s not that bad.
If you judged the entire United States on South Chicago we’d look pretty bad. Granted, the bad parts of Mexico are waaaay worse, but there are murder-free areas too.
like that upscale neighborhood?
TTAG: Who We Are:
“The Truth About Guns was founded in February of 2010, to explore the ethics, morality, business, politics, culture, technology, practice, strategy, dangers and fun of guns.”
And how does this story relate to the above mission statement? Has TTAG lost its way? Perhaps.
As a resident of Phoenix, AZ, I can easily deflate your comment about Phoenix becoming the murder capital of the US….
In Arizona’s border towns, violent offenses such as armed robberies and homicides have fallen from 1998 to 2009.
2010 City Crime Rate Rankings places Phoenix in #135 out of 400 cities studied for violent crimes including murder. Doesn’t sound like the murder capital to me.
Perhaps a little investigative effort is warranted BEFORE you spew your conjecture all over your Mac keyboard.
“And how does this story relate to the above mission statement? ”
Because the border region, and the drug fueled violence that plagues it, has in the last couple of years taken center stage in the push by some of our politicians to further persecute honest gun owners.
“Has TTAG lost its way?”
I’d say “no”.
Sad to say, but this story isn’t news. Young people are murdered in Mexican border towns every day for many reasons and for no reason. Almost all of the murder victims are, naturally, Mexicans. Nobody except their families seem to give a damn one way or the other. The Mexican government doesn’t care, the U.S. government only wants to exploit he situation for it’s own nefarious ends, and the average American is too busy trying to avoid foreclosure to pay attention to what happens south of the border. The fact that this lad was an American is the only reason why people are paying any attention at all, but it won’t last. The young man will be forgotten quickly, and only his family will remember that he ever existed.
Well said.
man some people are sooo stupid! He was an american citizenwith with a a mexican heritage. How do i know this? cause i was his friend and saw his birth certificate and social security card. What annoys me is that some people assume that if you visit mexico youre mexican, that is not the case! I can assure most people in nogales, arizona go across the line to nogales, sonora to visit family or for something else. Back to the point, dont assume SHIT if you dont personally know the people involved.
ola i love to be a moldo and a to songs and dance and to acd