According to official records, at least 16 lawyers have been murdered in Guanajuato in recent years. The most recent case occurred in July 2026 in Irapuato.
The victims include criminal defense attorneys, civil lawyers, labor attorneys, university professors, public defenders, and litigators involved in high-profile cases. The legal community continues to demand greater security so attorneys can perform their work without fear, as well as justice, since many of these cases remain unsolved.
Most Recent Case: Alfredo Duarte Martínez – July 21, 2026
Known as “El Güero Freddy,” Alfredo Duarte Martínez was shot and killed as he stepped out of his vehicle in front of a convenience store at the intersection of Cuarto Cinturón Vial and Malecón del Río in Irapuato. Two men riding a motorcycle opened fire without warning. The State Attorney General’s Office continues to investigate the case.
Earliest Documented Case: Mario Ramírez – June 28, 2019
Mario Ramírez was shot and killed inside his pickup truck in the Buenos Aires neighborhood of León. Armed assailants intercepted him and fled after fatally shooting him.
Documented Homicides in Recent Years
Marcelo Carlos Herrera Herrera was murdered on November 20, 2020, upon arriving at his law office in León. The crime was initially attributed to a robbery involving a luxury watch.
On April 28, 2023, Marcela Gutiérrez Zepeda was murdered in the Los Castillos area of León. Authorities indicated that the attack may have been connected to a legal case she was handling.
On December 28, 2023, Omar Ramírez was executed while exercising with his children in a park in the Villa Magna neighborhood.
On January 5, 2024, Juan José Hernández Torres, a defense attorney involved in the Punto Legal case, was found dead in San Juan de Otates with signs of torture.
On February 20, 2024, Salvador Alejandro González, a criminal defense attorney also connected to the Punto Legal case, was shot and killed while driving in León in front of his family.
On June 20, 2024, María Paloma Serna Hernández was attacked by armed men at a gas station in León. Although she received medical attention, she died shortly afterward.
On August 10, 2024, Franco “N,” an attorney from Abasolo, was murdered inside his home. Years earlier, his son had also been murdered.
On October 12, 2024, José Luis Valenzuela was shot while arriving at his home in León. His wife was injured during the attack.
On March 14, 2025, Irán Villarreal Belmont, a lawyer, activist, and director of a media outlet in San Luis de la Paz, was abducted from his home and later found dead.
On August 20, 2025, attorneys Carlos Rojas Domínguez and Óscar Guillermo Pérez Murillo, who were also close friends since university, were murdered in León by armed men on motorcycles.
On September 10, 2025, Gustavo Emilio Delgado Núñez, another attorney, was murdered in León.
That same day, Sara Zavala Rodríguez was shot multiple times while driving along Conalep Avenue after armed men got out of a vehicle and opened fire.
On September 25, 2025, Juan Alberto Camarillo Zavala, a regional chief within the State Attorney General’s Office, was kidnapped and later murdered on the San Felipe–Dolores Hidalgo Highway, near the community of La Estancia.
Federal Reports
Federal reports published in 2025 indicated that, up to that year, Guanajuato ranked first among Mexico’s states with the highest number of murdered lawyers, with most of the cases occurring in the municipality of León. Michoacán ranked second.
Source: lasillarota
