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A total of 14 individuals were executed and dumped in various spots around the Mexican states of Michoacan and Jalisco Sunday according to Mexican news accounts.
As with the eight found murdered early Saturday morning the 14 dead were all shot in the head and left with a message warning against supporting Los Zetas and was signed by Los Caballeros Templarios or Knights Templars, an offshoot of La Familia Michoacana which was reportedly disbanded earlier this year.
Reports earlier this month suggested that remnants of La Familia Michoacana had joined with the Gulf Cartel and the Sinaloa Cartel in an alliance dubbed Carteles Unidos or United Cartels. The alliance was formed earlier this year. That alliance may well include Los Caballeros Templarios.
The areas between Jalisco and Michoacan were the focus of sustained counternarcotics operations by Mexican security forces last late month, mostly in Jalsico, which drove some criminal groups into Michoacan.
To read a comprehensive story about Carteles Unidos and its most recent activities, click here.
Four of the victims were identified as Hugo Castañeda Ruiz, 32, Refugio Lopez Valdovinos, 18, ââMario Macias Gabriel Gallardo, 19, and Luis Miguel Miranda Avalos, 23. Miranda Avalos was released from prison only a few days ago.
Most of the dead were shot with a .38 Super weapon, a common weapon in Mexico
Bodies were found in the villages of Sahuayo, Cojumatlän de Regules, Jiquilpan, Villamar, Briseñas and Tanhuato.
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