2 U.S. residents killed in armed attack on Mexican highway

8/23: CBS Morning News

Two Arizona women were killed when gunmen opened fire on their vehicle in the northern Mexican state of Sonora Friday morning, Mexican authorities said.

The victims, ages 72 and 82 and originally from the Sonora city of Caborca, were found dead in an overturned, bullet-ridden white Nissan Pathfinder at about 10:30 a.m. on the Sonoyta-Caborca highway, the Sonora attorney general's office said in a news release.

Mexican authorities found an F-150 truck believed to be connected to the killing of two Arizona women in the Mexican state of Sonora on Aug. 23. Weapons and ammunition were found inside the vehicle, the authorities said.  Sonora Attorney General's office

Mexican authorities conducted a search and located a vehicle believed to be linked to the suspects and described as a stolen Ford F150; it was found abandoned in the Sonora town of Quitovac. In the vehicle, the authorities found four firearms, dozens of cartridges of ammunition and bulletproof vests, the attorney general's office said.

Officials did not immediately provide a motive for the attack, although Sonora has seen several incidents of cartel violence in recent years. The FBI told CBS News Saturday that it was assisting Mexican authorities with their investigation. 

A State Department spokesperson confirmed to CBS News the deaths of a lawful permanent resident and a U.S. citizen in Sonora, Mexico. The State Department said they are closely monitoring the situation.

In June 2023, a Ph.D. student from California was found dead in an SUV in Sonora, shot seven times, after going missing when he drove across the border to conduct horticulture research. 

In March, Sonora prosecutors said seven bodies were found near the town of Puerto Peñasco, on the Gulf of California. The victims were all men wearing military-style gear and had all been shot to death. 

Editors note: This story has been updated with information from the U.S. State Department reflecting the victims' residence status

Read more
f

We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.