Narcos' location scout shot to death in Mexico, local media reports
Carlos Muñoz Portal, a location scout for the Netflix show "Narcos," was found shot to death while looking for locations for the show in Mexico, according to local media reports.
According to Variety, Muñoz Portal, 37, worked for the Mexico City-based production company Redrum. According to IMDB, he worked as a location scout for "Mozart In the Jungle," "Spectre," "Fast & Furious" and "The Legend of Zorro."
Netflix issued a statement saying they were "aware of the passing of Carlos Muñoz Portal, a well-respected location scout, and send our condolences to his family. The facts surrounding his death are still unknown as authorities continue to investigate."
The circumstances around his death are still unclear. According to Mexican newspaper El Pais, his bullet-ridden vehicle was found in the rural area of the state of Temascalapa, near the border with Hidalgo. The U.S. issued a travel advisory in August for citizens to avoid non-essential travel in the state of Mexico, where Temascalapa is located.
A friend told El Pais that Muñoz Portal could have been followed because of his camera. As El Pais reports, many film scouts are freelance and armed only with a camera.
Mexico has been plagued by reports of violence on film sets before, particularly involving drug cartels. And in 2016, the crew of a Alfonso Cuarón film was assaulted and robbed while in downtown Mexico City.
Similarily, Mexico has become one of the most dangerous places in the world for journalists. In August, freelance journalist Luis Chaparro told "CBSN: On Assignment" that "every journalist in Mexico is a target now."
