Michoacán Prosecutor’s Office deepens investigation into the murder of Carlos Manzo
The Michoacán Prosecutor’s Office has intensified investigations into the homicide of the former mayor of Uruapan, Carlos Manzo, which occurred on November 1, 2025. The focus of this new stage of the investigation seeks to clarify whether there is any link of complicity between the current mayor, Grecia Quiroz, widow of the deceased official, and Samuel García Rivero, a former municipal public servant who is currently facing judicial proceedings for his alleged participation in the crime.
This twist in the case arises from the expanded statement of Yesenia Méndez Rodríguez, who served as Manzo’s private secretary. According to what Méndez presented to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, García Rivero had entered the local administration under the direct recommendation of Quiroz, maintaining a close relationship with her. Likewise, the former secretary questioned the defendant’s access to sensitive information after his departure from the City Council and asserted that both had maintained communication even after the attack.
The role of Samuel García Rivero in the case
Federal and state authorities maintain the hypothesis that García Rivero acted as a facilitator for the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). It is presumed that the former official provided key details about Carlos Manzo’s activities and movements, information that would have been fundamental for the criminal cell to carry out the assassination during the 2025 Day of the Dead festivities.
The goal is to exhaust the different lines of investigation related to the case and determine if the allegations provided have elements that allow them to be corroborated.
Israel Vega Rodríguez, Deputy Prosecutor of Intelligence and Criminal Investigation of Michoacán.
Mayor’s response and status of the investigations
In light of the new allegations, Grecia Quiroz has expressed her full willingness to cooperate with the authorities. However, the current mayor questioned the witness’s timing, wondering why Méndez waited nine months to present this additional information. Quiroz has reiterated her demand that the Attorney General’s Office (FGR) take over the case to ensure transparency and justice.
So far, the Prosecutor’s Office has made it clear that there is no formal charge against the mayor, so her participation in the process remains a subject of analysis and not an accusation. The case, which has shocked Mexican society due to Manzo’s confrontational stance against organized crime, already has 31 people linked to the proceedings.
Advances in the capture of those responsible
- Intellectual author: Ramón Ángel Álvarez Ayala, alias “R1”, was arrested on July 30 and identified as the person primarily responsible for ordering and financing the attack.
- Criminal context: Investigations suggest that the CJNG structure was aware of the plan, although there is no evidence to directly prosecute its top leaders for this specific event.
- Political legacy: After the death of Carlos Manzo, Grecia Quiroz assumed the leadership of the City Council with the promise of continuing her husband’s project and clarifying the events that ended his life.
The Michoacán Prosecutor’s Office continues to collect evidence to determine whether the relationship between the mayor and the defendant has criminal relevance or if the allegations should be dismissed, keeping the investigation open while the relevant proceedings are carried out.
