Yuriana Castillo Torres rose to prominence as a significant figure in the realm of Mexican organized crime, particularly linked to the notorious Los Zetas cartel. Born on November 3, 1986, in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico, she established herself as a high-ranking member within the criminal organization, assuming a prominent role in its operations.
Renowned for her involvement in a range of illicit undertakings such as drug trafficking, extortion, kidnappings, and acts of violence, Yuriana Castillo Torres garnered notoriety as a female member of the Los Zetas cartel. Her reputation as a formidable and influential figure within the organization was shaped by her strategic acumen and uncompromising disposition.
Yuriana Castillo Torres gained significant recognition for her involvement in drug trafficking, with a particular focus on cocaine and marijuana. Through her participation in the illicit drug trade, she amassed considerable wealth and influence within the criminal underworld. Operating along the Mexico-United States border, she utilized her connections and resources to establish a wide-ranging network of criminal operations.
While Yuriana Castillo Torres’ criminal activities left a lasting impact on the criminal landscape, her arrest represented a significant triumph in the ongoing battle against organized crime in Mexico. It demonstrated the determination of law enforcement agencies to dismantle powerful criminal organizations and hold their leaders accountable, ultimately contributing to a safer and more secure society.
How did Yuriana Castillo Torres die?
Reports indicate that armed individuals abducted Castillo Torres while she was leaving a gym in Culiacán, Sinaloa, on May 6, 2014.
Eyewitnesses recounted that several men forcibly took Castillo Torres in a truck, leaving behind one of her purple sports shoes. It is worth noting that Castillo Torres had family ties to Javier Torres, also known as El JT, and Manuel Torres, also known as El Ondeado, who were prominent leaders within the Sinaloa cartel.
Witnesses observed a truck reversing down Paseo de las Palmas boulevard in the Guadalupe neighborhood, specifically between Juan Aldama and Río Tabalá. The vehicle came to a stop in front of an empty lot, where two men were seen dropping a bundle wrapped in white sheets. Onlookers initially believed it to be a case of littering.
Yuriana Castillo Torres, well-known in the “buchona show business,” suffered a tragic fate. She was abducted, killed, and subsequently discovered by Mexican law enforcement the following day. Her lifeless body was found in a vacant lot in the Lomas de Guadalupe neighborhood in Culiacán. Family members confirmed her identity at the forensic facilities. Autopsy reports indicated that Castillo Torres had been suffocated by hanging and had sustained various head injuries. Her hands and legs were bound with an electric cable.
When Yuriana Castillo Torres’ body was found, it was wrapped in white sheets and secured with electrical cables in a vacant lot behind a preparatory school of the Autonomous University of Sinaloa. No evidence of firearms was discovered at the scene.
During the wake held at the funeral home, alleged members of Los Ántrax, the armed wing of the Sinaloa cartel, paid their respects by leaving a floral tribute in her honor.
How did Yuriana Castillo Torres’ boyfriend Rodrigo Aréchiga die?
Yuriana Castillo Torres’ romantic partner, Rodrigo Aréchiga, held a prominent position as one of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada’s trusted associates and led Los Ántrax, an armed faction within the Sinaloa cartel.
On January 3, 2014, the Netherlands Ministry of Security and Justice, along with the Mexican Embassy, confirmed the arrest of a 33-year-old Mexican citizen at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in the Netherlands. The arrest took place on December 30, 2013, as he arrived from Latin America using a false name. Initially, the authorities did not disclose the detainee’s identity, but anonymous sources, including a U.S. federal agent and Mexican local newspapers, leaked information confirming that the man was indeed José Rodrigo Aréchiga Gamboa.
The U.S. government officially confirmed the drug lord’s arrest later that day. Aréchiga Gamboa was apprehended under the alias of Norberto Sicairos García. At the time of his arrest, he was found in possession of an iPhone 5, a Blackberry Bold, three airplane tickets, credit cards from Banamex (Visa and MasterCard), and a Mexican driver’s license.
After his arrest, Aréchiga Gamboa was transferred to the Vught maximum-security prison. Despite using a false identity, altering his appearance through plastic surgery, and modifying his fingerprints, U.S. law enforcement successfully identified him through undisclosed forensic methods.
Yuriana Castillo Torres’ partner, Aréchiga Gamboa, was eventually extradited to the United States to face charges related to cocaine and marijuana trafficking. On March 20, 2015, he pleaded guilty and admitted his involvement in transporting drugs from Mexico to the U.S. and facilitating violent activities on behalf of the Sinaloa Cartel.
After spending six years in U.S. custody, Aréchiga Gamboa received a sentence of seven years and three months in a federal prison. He was released on March 3, 2020, and placed under house arrest. However, on May 9, he was reported missing by his probation officer.
During the night of May 14, 2020, Aréchiga Gamboa, his sister, and her husband were confronted by a hit squad associated with the Sinaloa Cartel at their residence. A fierce gunfight ensued, with Aréchiga Gamboa defending himself using an automatic assault rifle. The exchange of fire lasted until dawn, and when they ran out of ammunition, they surrendered and were taken hostage by the armed assailants.
The following day, police in Ayune, Sinaloa, discovered a black SUV containing three deceased individuals. One of the bodies was identified as José Rodrigo Aréchiga Gamboa, who had been shot and wrapped in cloth, with his head covered by a black plastic bag. The other two bodies were identified as his sister and her husband. It was later reported that senior leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel likely ordered the murder of Aréchiga Gamboa.
The fate of Yuriana Castillo Torres and José Rodrigo Aréchiga Gamboa serves as a reminder of the dangerous and often deadly consequences associated with involvement in organized crime. Their stories highlight the ongoing struggle against drug cartels and the tireless efforts of law enforcement agencies to bring criminals to justice and ensure the safety of communities affected by their activities.