Man Shot Dead in Playa del Carmen’s Las Torres Settlement as Gunmen Escape

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — A man was killed Monday evening in the Las Torres irregular settlement on the outskirts of this resort city, and the gunmen escaped through dirt tracks and brush before police arrived.

The killing took place in a hard-to-reach section near the perimeter wall that borders the San Judas Tadeo encroachment. According to initial reports, the victim was intercepted on an unpaved road in the area by suspected hitmen.

The attackers subdued the man, gagged him and then shot him point-blank in the head in what is commonly described in Mexico as a “coup de grâce” killing. They then fled into the network of dirt paths and scrubland around the perimeter.

Residents of the settlement spotted the body and alerted the authorities. Officers from the Quintana Roo Public Security Department (SSC) arrived within minutes as first responders.

After entering the difficult terrain and confirming the man showed no signs of life, the officers cordoned off a wide area to prevent evidence from being disturbed. A few meters from where the body lay, police found a gray Nissan Sentra compact car.

Vehicle seized

Investigators have not ruled out that the car belonged to the victim or that it was used to transport him to the spot before the killing. The vehicle was seized and placed under police guard.

The victim has not been identified. He was a male of undetermined age, wearing a long-sleeved navy blue shirt, blue jeans and black socks, with no shoes visible.

Detectives from the State Prosecutor’s Office (FGE) and forensic experts later processed the scene, collecting spent shell casings, taking photographs and carrying out a detailed inspection of the gray car.

The body was taken to the Forensic Medical Service (SEMEFO) for a legal autopsy and formal identification.

As of Monday night, authorities had not reported any arrests in connection with the homicide.