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Four Decapitated Bodies Hung From Bridge as 20 Found in Sinaloa Cartel War

The grisly find on Highway 15 underscores a fierce struggle for control of fentanyl routes that has overwhelmed Mexican security forces.

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Members of the Mexican Army stand guard in the area where two members of a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel were detained during an operation by Mexican federal authorities, in Culiacan, Mexico, Feb. 19, 2025.
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Overview

  • On June 30, Sinaloa state prosecutors reported that four decapitated bodies were found hanging by their feet from a bridge on Highway 15 near Culiacán, with 16 additional bodies discovered in an abandoned vehicle.
  • Investigators also recovered a plastic bag containing five severed heads and an unsigned note allegedly left by one of the warring factions.
  • The killings stem from an internal conflict between La Mayiza, led by El Mayo’s son, and Los Chapitos, led by El Chapo’s sons, which began in September following the alleged kidnapping and U.S. extradition of El Mayo.
  • Official figures show the cartel civil war has claimed more than 1,200 lives across Sinaloa since September, straining joint military and police operations to restore peace.
  • The surge in brutality highlights the factions’ bid for dominance over lucrative drug corridors, particularly those used to traffic fentanyl into the United States.