Priest's Body Discovered in Grisly Scene
The body of a missing Mexican priest has been discovered in a horrifying state, wrapped in black plastic bags and tied to an armchair before being dumped in a sewage canal. Reverend Ernesto Baltazar Hernández Vilchis, 40, had been reported missing on October 27 from the town of Tultepec, located just north of Mexico City.
Advanced Investigation Underway
Search and rescue teams located the clergyman's remains on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, in a drainage canal running near the Felipe Ángeles International Airport. The body was in an advanced state of decay and had become lodged on a small mound of earth within the waterway. After recovery, forensic experts officially confirmed the identity as that of the missing reverend.
Rev. Vilchis had only recently been assigned to the Tultepec area and was last seen in the town of Ampliación La Piedad. Following his disappearance, the Diocese that had placed him in the region formally reported him missing to authorities.
A Pattern of Violence Against Clergy
While the perpetrators remain unknown, the murder echoes a disturbing pattern of violence targeting religious figures in Mexico. According to the church's Catholic Multimedia Centre, which monitors attacks on clergy, 10 priests were killed in Mexico between 2019 and 2024.
This incident follows the discovery of another priest's body in the mountains of the southern state of Guerrero just last month. The killing of Rev. Vilchis also comes shortly after the assassination of Mayor Carlos Manzo of Uruapan, a firebrand politician known for his strong anti-cartel stance, who was gunned down during Day of the Dead celebrations.
Officers have launched a full investigation into the priest's death and have vowed to apprehend those responsible for this brutal crime.
