UC Berkeley Ph.D. Candidate Mexico While Conducting Field Research

Gabriel Trujillo, a 31-year-old Ph.D. student at UC Berkeley studying botany, was shot and killed in Mexico while collecting plant samples.
Trujillo's body was found in his SUV three days after he went missing in the state of Sonora, Mexico.
Trujillo's research focused on the buttonbush plant and its ability to thrive in diverse climates for habitat conservation and restoration purposes.
Trujillo had a deep appreciation for nature, culture, and Indigenous lands.
Trujillo's family is seeking answers from the U.S. and Mexican governments regarding his death.