193:. Several hours after Torres's arrival, unidentified gunmen stormed the ranch and kidnapped him, his father Armando Torres II, and his uncle Salvador Torres. The gunmen also stole many belongings from the residence and three vehicles before leaving. That same evening between 8 and 9 p.m., Armando's sister Cristina Torres in Virginia received a phone call from her cousin who witnessed armed men in a white truck take Armando, his father, and his uncle by force. The motives behind the kidnapping are unknown, but relatives and investigators believe that the abduction may have been a result of a land dispute. According to Cristina, Armando's grandfather had sold a piece of his land in 2011 to JesĂşs Pecina Chaires, one of his neighbors. But when the neighbor failed to complete his payments, the Torres family took the land back. Upon the seizure one month earlier, the neighbor threatened revenge. An unnamed official said that after Torres's grandfather died, Torres's father and uncle went back on their father's land sale and retook the land, incurring the neighbor's wrath. The Tamaulipas state authorities allege that at least one of the members of the Pecina Chaires family has direct links with a Mexican drug trafficking organization.
316:, an average of 49 people were kidnapped in Mexico every day in 2012, making it the highest kidnapping rate in the world. The figures may possibly be higher since many kidnappings in Mexico go unreported, mainly because citizens distrust the police and fear that the captors might kill the victims if they contact the authorities. For many Mexicans, paying the ransom is more convenient than calling the police to carry out an investigation given the low conviction rate throughout the country. Kidnappings, according to security experts, tarnishes urban dwellers' sense of security more than killings.
280:(FBI), which has opened an international kidnapping investigation. Three weeks after the men's disappearance, although investigators on both sides of the border are pursuing the case, Tamaulipas authorities believe that the missing members of the Torres family are most likely dead and that their bodies will never be found, given the "circumstances of the case and the players involved". Armando's sister said her whole family still had hopes of finding Armando alive and safe back home, while the FBI neither confirmed or denied anything on Torres's status.
57:
37:
197:
better work opportunities. Armando had not seen his father in years; while he was in the armed forces, he was not allowed to travel to Mexico. In response to the kidnapping, family and friends have used social media to help find Torres. His wife
Melissa Estrada has asked people to contact lawmakers and sign two petitions that ask for Torres's safe return home. Fellow marines have contacted the
196:
Cristina said in an interview that she chatted online with
Armando the day before the abduction, and said that he wanted to move to Virginia with his mother and sister. Armando told his sister that he wanted to bid farewell to his father and his family in Mexico before moving to Virginia in search of
300:
are attractive for smugglers because these areas make it difficult for U.S. law enforcement officers to intercept their drug trafficking activities. Large portions of the South Texas border with
Tamaulipas are rural and contain uninhabited areas that smugglers use to traffic drugs into the United
209:
to demand the release of Torres. Others have emailed politicians and contacted several media outlets to increase the case's attention. By contacting their local representatives in
Congress, U.S. marines in the United States have tried to make Torres's case reach a level of awareness in the media.
311:
took office in
December 2006 and carried a military-led campaign to tackle the country's drug trafficking organizations, violence across Mexico spread. By the end of his presidency in 2012, at least 70,000 had been killed in drug cartel-related murders. Thousands more, roughly 25,000 adults and
292:, a transnational drug trafficking organization based in northeastern Mexico. Drug traffickers have been known to forcibly take ranches from people to facilitate their drug shipments, and especially properties that lie along the
312:
children, had disappeared. Many of these people were kidnapped by drug trafficking organizations; others, too, were reportedly disappeared by corrupt local, state, and/or federal authorities. According to the
138:, Torres went to visit his father in Mexico on 14 May 2013, but he never made it back. Reportedly, drug traffickers kidnapped him, his father, and one of his uncles at their ranch near the border city of
815:
779:
643:
1168:
1039:
578:
186:
429:
943:
358:
1062:
1006:
743:
1135:
918:
1248:
880:
396:
805:
536:
568:
471:
769:
313:
1158:
633:
1253:
1238:
1029:
1243:
1102:
996:
301:
States. Drug traffickers also store their merchandise in storage places in these areas to later transport their drugs to towns and cities.
965:
1223:
189:
from Texas into Mexico to visit his father and other relatives at their ranch at La
Barranca, a rural community near the border city of
1228:
1098:
1202:
348:
969:
848:
610:
507:
419:
177:, and was working at an energy services company. He has two sons (aged 2 and 4), and was separated from his wife Melissa Estrada.
933:
262:
227:
112:
277:
1072:
675:
733:
233:
to use "diplomatic channels" to help find Torres. Among the congressmen who have also joined the White House petition are
1125:
908:
386:
218:
have responded to the email requests and expressed their support in the case. Hinojosa has been working with
Congressman
142:. The motives behind the abduction are unknown, but investigators believe they were kidnapped following a land dispute.
870:
670:
461:
202:
162:
104:
62:
710:
266:
223:
170:
108:
546:
1233:
938:
1218:
190:
139:
270:
466:
242:
1130:
913:
424:
391:
353:
305:
258:
254:
234:
1163:
1094:
1067:
705:
293:
1192:
308:
973:
1001:
238:
215:
151:
123:
158:. He graduated from high school in 2005 and enlisted in the armed forces shortly afterwards.
1126:"National news of Marine veteran disappearance raises questions for other victims' families"
325:
297:
219:
84:
1034:
211:
16:
US marine who was reportedly kidnapped by gunmen near the U.S.-Mexico border of
Tamaulipas
838:
600:
497:
134:, where he worked at an energy service company. Before deciding to move to the state of
174:
1212:
42:
154:, and lived there until he was 14 years old. Then, his family moved to the state of
665:
250:
246:
206:
605:
1030:"The Challenge of Mexico's Next President: The Corruption at the Heart of Crime"
289:
198:
909:"Missing Marine, relatives feared dead, Mexican law enforcement officials say"
738:
230:
116:
806:"Congress Sends Letters To John Kerry, Mexico Urging Search For Iraq Veteran"
573:
701:"DesapariciĂłn de marino estadunidense, ligada con una deuda al narco: PGJ"
1196:
875:
810:
774:
638:
166:
155:
135:
127:
80:
997:"Mexican forces involved in kidnappings, disappearances, report charges"
843:
502:
700:
734:"FBI hunts for U.S. Marine kidnapped with relatives at Mexican ranch"
541:
288:
The area where
Armando was abducted is a key smuggling route for the
770:"Marines Rally For Armando Torres, Kidnapped Iraq Veteran In Mexico"
265:. A letter was also sent to Mexican ambassador to the United States
273:
to express their devotion in the case alongside the United States.
126:, Torres served in United States Marine Corps in Africa and in the
839:"Search for Marine missing in Mexico gets boost from Capitol Hill"
420:"Armando Torres, Marine, Kidnapped By Armed Men In Mexico: Family"
131:
276:
The
Mexican authorities are working on the case alongside the
601:"FBI pide ayuda por secuestro de un 'marine' en Tamaulipas"
569:"FBI busca a militar estadounidense secuestrado en MĂ©xico"
634:"US Marine, relatives kidnapped from Mexico border ranch"
161:
Torres served in the armed forces for seven years as a
387:"FBI seeks help on case of Marine kidnapped in Mexico"
349:"Family weighs in on possible motives for kidnapping"
537:"Marine kidnapped in Mexico land dispute, aunt says"
185:
On 14 May 2013 at around 6 p.m., Torres crossed the
1095:"Mexico 2012 OSAC Crime and Safety Report: Tijuana"
90:
76:
68:
48:
30:
23:
1159:"In Mexico, a Kidnapping Ignored as Crime Worsens"
966:"South Texas Border and San Antonio Market Areas"
871:"FBI investigates kidnapping of Marine in Mexico"
462:"Aunt: Land dispute to blame for missing Marine"
111:who was reportedly kidnapped by gunmen near the
498:"FBI asks public to help locate missing Marine"
902:
900:
898:
1063:"Kidnappings No Longer Just a Mexico Problem"
8:
799:
797:
187:Progreso–Nuevo Progreso International Bridge
173:(IRR). As a reservist, Torres was living in
666:"Secuestran a 'marine' de EU en Tamaulipas"
695:
693:
20:
380:
378:
376:
763:
761:
455:
453:
451:
449:
447:
336:
269:urging the administration of President
1249:United States Marine Corps reservists
995:Wilkinson, Tracy (20 February 2013).
531:
529:
527:
525:
491:
489:
342:
340:
130:for seven years. He then returned to
7:
1009:from the original on 13 October 2013
460:Sherman, Christopher (4 June 2013).
347:Whitehead, Travis M. (4 June 2013).
314:Mexico's Commission on Human Rights
1171:from the original on 18 March 2012
1124:Smither, Madeline (15 June 2013).
1105:from the original on 17 March 2013
1099:Overseas Security Advisory Council
385:Findell, Elizabeth (3 June 2013).
169:. He is currently enlisted in the
14:
1138:from the original on 15 June 2013
970:National Drug Intelligence Center
851:from the original on 11 June 2013
818:from the original on 13 June 2013
713:from the original on 10 June 2013
474:from the original on 15 June 2013
432:from the original on 10 June 2013
399:from the original on 15 June 2013
361:from the original on 15 June 2013
1061:Thorton, Kelly (17 March 2009).
1042:from the original on 6 July 2012
1028:Serrano, Alfonso (5 July 2012).
946:from the original on 8 June 2013
932:Ortiz, Ildefonso (5 June 2013).
921:from the original on 8 June 2013
907:Ortiz, Ildefonso (5 June 2013).
883:from the original on 5 June 2013
782:from the original on 9 June 2013
746:from the original on 9 June 2013
678:from the original on 8 June 2013
646:from the original on 8 June 2013
613:from the original on 8 June 2013
581:from the original on 8 June 2013
510:from the original on 8 June 2013
418:Jauregui, Andres (18 May 2013).
55:
35:
1254:Victims of the Mexican Drug War
278:Federal Bureau of Investigation
103:(disappeared 14 May 2013) is a
1239:Missing person cases in Mexico
1157:Cave, Damien (17 March 2012).
804:Llenas, Bryan (12 June 2013).
496:Galindo, Nadia (4 June 2013).
201:through a petition asking the
1:
1244:People from San Benito, Texas
837:Chapa, Sergio (9 June 2013).
768:Llenas, Bryan (5 June 2013).
732:Taylor, Jared (4 June 2012).
632:Johnston, Ian (4 June 2013).
545:. 5 June 2013. Archived from
296:. Properties that border the
972:. April 2008. Archived from
934:"Missing Marine feared dead"
150:Torres (age 25) was born in
709:(in Spanish). 7 June 2013.
674:(in Spanish). 5 June 2013.
609:(in Spanish). 4 June 2013.
577:(in Spanish). 4 June 2013.
210:Former New Mexico Governor
1270:
1224:2010s missing person cases
671:El Universal (Mexico City)
63:United States Marine Corps
1229:Kidnapped American people
267:Eduardo Medina-Mora Icaza
226:politicians to pressure
171:Individual Ready Reserve
115:in the Mexican state of
109:Individual Ready Reserve
43:United States of America
939:The Brownsville Herald
214:and Texas Congressman
191:Matamoros, Tamaulipas
165:in Africa and in the
140:Matamoros, Tamaulipas
69:Years of service
467:The Kansas City Star
1131:The Monitor (Texas)
976:on 12 February 2013
425:The Huffington Post
392:The Monitor (Texas)
354:Valley Morning Star
259:Walter B. Jones Jr.
235:Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
1205:— LostNMissing.org
1203:Armando Torres III
1193:Armando Torres III
1164:The New York Times
1075:on 28 January 2012
1068:Voice of San Diego
294:U.S.-Mexico border
271:Enrique Peña Nieto
228:Secretary of State
113:U.S.-Mexico border
101:Armando Torres III
25:Armando Torres III
1002:Los Angeles Times
243:Mario DĂaz-Balart
239:Lynn Westmoreland
224:Rio Grande Valley
152:San Benito, Texas
124:San Benito, Texas
98:
97:
1261:
1181:
1180:
1178:
1176:
1154:
1148:
1147:
1145:
1143:
1121:
1115:
1114:
1112:
1110:
1091:
1085:
1084:
1082:
1080:
1071:. Archived from
1058:
1052:
1051:
1049:
1047:
1025:
1019:
1018:
1016:
1014:
992:
986:
985:
983:
981:
962:
956:
955:
953:
951:
930:
928:
926:
904:
893:
892:
890:
888:
867:
861:
860:
858:
856:
834:
828:
827:
825:
823:
801:
792:
791:
789:
787:
765:
756:
755:
753:
751:
729:
723:
722:
720:
718:
697:
688:
687:
685:
683:
662:
656:
655:
653:
651:
629:
623:
622:
620:
618:
597:
591:
590:
588:
586:
565:
559:
558:
556:
554:
533:
520:
519:
517:
515:
493:
484:
483:
481:
479:
457:
442:
441:
439:
437:
415:
409:
408:
406:
404:
382:
371:
370:
368:
366:
344:
326:Mexican drug war
298:Rio Grande River
220:Filemon Vela Jr.
85:Mexican drug war
61:
59:
58:
50:
41:
39:
38:
21:
1269:
1268:
1264:
1263:
1262:
1260:
1259:
1258:
1209:
1208:
1189:
1184:
1174:
1172:
1156:
1155:
1151:
1141:
1139:
1123:
1122:
1118:
1108:
1106:
1093:
1092:
1088:
1078:
1076:
1060:
1059:
1055:
1045:
1043:
1027:
1026:
1022:
1012:
1010:
994:
993:
989:
979:
977:
964:
963:
959:
949:
947:
931:
924:
922:
906:
905:
896:
886:
884:
879:. 3 June 2013.
869:
868:
864:
854:
852:
836:
835:
831:
821:
819:
803:
802:
795:
785:
783:
767:
766:
759:
749:
747:
731:
730:
726:
716:
714:
699:
698:
691:
681:
679:
664:
663:
659:
649:
647:
631:
630:
626:
616:
614:
599:
598:
594:
584:
582:
567:
566:
562:
552:
550:
535:
534:
523:
513:
511:
495:
494:
487:
477:
475:
459:
458:
445:
435:
433:
417:
416:
412:
402:
400:
384:
383:
374:
364:
362:
346:
345:
338:
334:
322:
309:Felipe CalderĂłn
286:
212:Bill Richardson
183:
148:
94:Melissa Estrada
83:
56:
54:
36:
34:
26:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1267:
1265:
1257:
1256:
1251:
1246:
1241:
1236:
1234:Missing people
1231:
1226:
1221:
1211:
1210:
1207:
1206:
1200:
1188:
1187:External links
1185:
1183:
1182:
1149:
1116:
1086:
1053:
1020:
987:
957:
894:
862:
829:
793:
757:
724:
689:
657:
624:
592:
560:
549:on 8 June 2013
521:
485:
443:
410:
372:
335:
333:
330:
329:
328:
321:
318:
285:
282:
216:Rubén Hinojosa
203:administration
182:
179:
175:Hargill, Texas
147:
144:
96:
95:
92:
88:
87:
78:
74:
73:
70:
66:
65:
52:
46:
45:
32:
28:
27:
24:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1266:
1255:
1252:
1250:
1247:
1245:
1242:
1240:
1237:
1235:
1232:
1230:
1227:
1225:
1222:
1220:
1217:
1216:
1214:
1204:
1201:
1198:
1194:
1191:
1190:
1186:
1170:
1166:
1165:
1160:
1153:
1150:
1137:
1133:
1132:
1127:
1120:
1117:
1104:
1100:
1096:
1090:
1087:
1074:
1070:
1069:
1064:
1057:
1054:
1041:
1037:
1036:
1031:
1024:
1021:
1008:
1004:
1003:
998:
991:
988:
975:
971:
967:
961:
958:
945:
941:
940:
935:
920:
916:
915:
910:
903:
901:
899:
895:
882:
878:
877:
872:
866:
863:
850:
846:
845:
840:
833:
830:
817:
813:
812:
807:
800:
798:
794:
781:
777:
776:
771:
764:
762:
758:
745:
741:
740:
735:
728:
725:
712:
708:
707:
702:
696:
694:
690:
677:
673:
672:
667:
661:
658:
645:
641:
640:
635:
628:
625:
612:
608:
607:
602:
596:
593:
580:
576:
575:
570:
564:
561:
548:
544:
543:
538:
532:
530:
528:
526:
522:
509:
505:
504:
499:
492:
490:
486:
473:
469:
468:
463:
456:
454:
452:
450:
448:
444:
431:
427:
426:
421:
414:
411:
398:
394:
393:
388:
381:
379:
377:
373:
360:
356:
355:
350:
343:
341:
337:
331:
327:
324:
323:
319:
317:
315:
310:
307:
302:
299:
295:
291:
283:
281:
279:
274:
272:
268:
264:
260:
256:
252:
248:
244:
240:
236:
232:
229:
225:
221:
217:
213:
208:
205:of President
204:
200:
194:
192:
188:
180:
178:
176:
172:
168:
164:
159:
157:
153:
145:
143:
141:
137:
133:
129:
125:
120:
118:
114:
110:
106:
102:
93:
89:
86:
82:
79:
75:
71:
67:
64:
53:
47:
44:
33:
29:
22:
19:
1219:1980s births
1173:. Retrieved
1162:
1152:
1140:. Retrieved
1129:
1119:
1107:. Retrieved
1089:
1077:. Retrieved
1073:the original
1066:
1056:
1044:. Retrieved
1033:
1023:
1011:. Retrieved
1000:
990:
978:. Retrieved
974:the original
960:
948:. Retrieved
937:
923:. Retrieved
912:
885:. Retrieved
874:
865:
853:. Retrieved
842:
832:
820:. Retrieved
809:
784:. Retrieved
773:
748:. Retrieved
737:
727:
715:. Retrieved
704:
680:. Retrieved
669:
660:
648:. Retrieved
637:
627:
615:. Retrieved
604:
595:
583:. Retrieved
572:
563:
551:. Retrieved
547:the original
540:
512:. Retrieved
501:
476:. Retrieved
465:
434:. Retrieved
423:
413:
401:. Retrieved
390:
363:. Retrieved
352:
304:When former
303:
287:
275:
251:Edward Royce
247:Aaron Schock
207:Barack Obama
195:
184:
160:
149:
122:A native of
121:
100:
99:
77:Battles/wars
18:
914:The Monitor
290:Gulf Cartel
263:Jeff Miller
255:John Carter
199:White House
163:U.S. marine
105:U.S. marine
1213:Categories
1109:2 December
1079:2 December
739:Yahoo News
332:References
284:Background
231:John Kerry
222:and other
181:Kidnapping
117:Tamaulipas
31:Allegiance
1013:27 August
917:. Texas.
855:27 August
606:Excélsior
574:Univision
542:ABC7 News
306:President
91:Spouse(s)
1197:Facebook
1169:Archived
1136:Archived
1103:Archived
1101:. 2012.
1040:Archived
1007:Archived
944:Archived
919:Archived
881:Archived
876:Fox News
849:Archived
816:Archived
811:Fox News
780:Archived
775:Fox News
744:Archived
711:Archived
676:Archived
644:Archived
639:NBC News
611:Archived
579:Archived
508:Archived
472:Archived
430:Archived
397:Archived
359:Archived
320:See also
167:Iraq War
156:Virginia
136:Virginia
128:Iraq War
81:Iraq war
49:Service/
1142:15 June
844:KGBT-TV
822:13 June
706:Proceso
503:KGBT-TV
107:in the
72:7 years
1175:8 June
1046:8 June
980:9 June
950:8 June
925:8 June
887:7 June
786:8 June
750:7 June
717:8 June
682:7 June
650:7 June
617:7 June
585:7 June
553:8 June
514:8 June
478:7 June
436:7 June
403:8 June
365:7 June
261:, and
146:Career
60:
51:branch
40:
132:Texas
1199:page
1177:2013
1144:2013
1111:2012
1081:2012
1048:2013
1035:Time
1015:2016
982:2013
952:2013
927:2013
889:2013
857:2016
824:2013
788:2013
752:2013
719:2013
684:2013
652:2013
619:2013
587:2013
555:2013
516:2013
480:2013
438:2013
405:2013
367:2013
1215::
1195:—
1167:.
1161:.
1134:.
1128:.
1097:.
1065:.
1038:.
1032:.
1005:.
999:.
968:.
942:.
936:.
911:.
897:^
873:.
847:.
841:.
814:.
808:.
796:^
778:.
772:.
760:^
742:.
736:.
703:.
692:^
668:.
642:.
636:.
603:.
571:.
539:.
524:^
506:.
500:.
488:^
470:.
464:.
446:^
428:.
422:.
395:.
389:.
375:^
357:.
351:.
339:^
257:,
253:,
249:,
245:,
241:,
237:,
119:.
1179:.
1146:.
1113:.
1083:.
1050:.
1017:.
984:.
954:.
929:.
891:.
859:.
826:.
790:.
754:.
721:.
686:.
654:.
621:.
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