Overview
- Méndez was intercepted by federal and Michoacán agents outside Uruapan’s Casa de la Cultura, presented to the Ministerio Público, and released overnight to continue the process in freedom.
- The National Detentions Registry listed her as detained even as local judicial sources say there was no arrest warrant and authorities have not clarified her procedural status.
- The state prosecutor’s office contends she used Threema to provide real-time agendas and travel details to CJNG-linked coordinators before the Nov. 1 assassination.
- Investigators also took into custody Samuel N., the city’s protocol and public relations director, on Jan. 8 as part of the same probe.
- Authorities count more than a dozen arrests to date, including alleged CJNG figure Jorge Armando “El Licenciado,” recruiter “El Pelón,” local leader “El K-OZ,” and seven of Manzo’s escorts, with inquiries into municipal involvement ongoing.