For $270, Colombian Hitman Kills A 15-Year Who Was Forced to Sell Drugs in Tulum, Quintana Roo

By "El Huaso" for Borderland Beat

A Colombian hitman has been arrested for the killing of a 15-year old boy who was forcibly recruited to work as a drug dealer in Tulum, Quintana Roo. The hitman was paid $5,000 pesos, or 270 US dollars, by a drug gang for the killing. 

His family lost contact with the victim, Joel Lizandro López Colli, on October 27, when he and four other youths between 15 and 17 years old left their rural villages of Tekax and Akil, Yucatán for a supposed job working as a laborer on a construction project in Tulum. They were recruited in mid October by a stranger named Mauricio, who has not been identified by authorities.

Joel Lizandro's corpse was found on November 8 next to a restaurant in Tulum. He had been shot three times with a 9mm pistol. A government notice seeking identification of the corpse initially placed his age between 20-30 years. It was not until November 21st that he was positively identified as the 15 year old Joel Lizandro, and his family was notified.

The other four youths who accompanied Joel Lizandro remain missing.

Two suspects were arrested on November 11, Pedro Antonio “N” from Quintana Roo, and Juan Carlos “N”, from Colombia. When they were arrested authorities recovered a 9mm handgun, and an AR15 rifle. Authorities say that Juan Carlos was paid 5,000 pesos (270 USD) for the killing of Joel Lizandro.

Both suspects are also linked to an earlier contract killing on October 30, where Melchor Gamboa, a former delegate and owner of a convenience store was murdered. In that shooting, Juan Carlos was the gunman and Pedro Antonio was the getaway driver. 

Criminal groups are increasingly recruiting youths from out of town with false job offers, before forcing them into working for a criminal group. According to the disappeared persons search collective Xtabay, there have been 22 similar cases of people disappearing after following a fake job lead in the area. 

Joel Lizandro's family held a funeral for him in Tekax on Sunday.

Sources: @DiariodeYucatan Twitter, CaribePeninsular, PorEsto, TV Azteca, Fiscalia de Quintana Roo, Sol Yucatan, E-consulta, Noticias Tulum, Posta Yucatan