More Arrests:  Details Emerge in the Massacre of Youths at Praderas de los Oasis

Appears to be a Shakespearean, Tragic Tale:  About a Pair of Star-Crossed Lovers, A Possible Betrayal, And the Revenge of a Father

Sources:  Borderland Beat (click here), Diario de Juárez (click here, and El Tiempo (click here)
Photographs from Borderland  Beat website 

Updated August 14

On May 28 the body of Jonathan Rene Hernandez Perez, alias "El Titis," was found, dismembered, in a garbage bag in the tony neighborhood of Manuel Gomez Morin.  His father, 45-year old Rene Hernandez C, alias "El Rene,"  was, according to one version of the story, a member of  the Asesinos Artistas gang associated with the Sinaloa Cartel. Jonathan himself was a relatively small operator, selling heroin and meth on the local market, apparently under the cone of the Asesinos Artistas gang.  El René had, according to Diario (click here), been released from prison in Chihuahua in December of last year after serving a 13-year sentence for homicide.

  

In the days following the murder of his son, "El Rene" learned, or believed, that Cesar Armando Estupiñan, leader of the Artistas Asesinos, (and, according to one version, a former business partner--they owned a string of barbershops--with El Rene) had ordered the assassination.  The Artistas Asesinos, as well as the Mexicles, are associated with the Sinaloa cartel.  The Mexicles and the Nuevos Aztecas have been deadly enemies in the larger rivalry between the Juarez cartel and the Sinaloa cartel, both competing for control of local and transnational drug trafficking in Juarez.

According to one version, when El Rene learned about the circumstances of his son's death, he went to the rival Nuevo Azteca gang and enlisted with them.

A few days ago "El Rene," learned that there would be a gathering of people at the picadero in the Praderas de los Oasis neighborhood.  Some of those to be attending the party, he believed, had been involved in his son's murder.  They were members of the Mexicles and Artistas Asesinos, his former associates.

Meibi Oyuku and Cesar Estupiñan, Encajuelados

  

According to his confession, when he learned of this "El Rene" began to plan revenge. 

There were two persons "El Rene" was particularly interested in getting to the party:  The first was Cesar Amador Estupiñan, who, he believed, had ordered the assassination of his son.  The second was a young woman by the  name of Meibi Oyuki.  Meibi had been the girlfriend of his son.  But El Rene had learned that she had cheated on his son, and was now having an affair with none other than Cesar Armando Estupinan, his son's killer and, according to one version, his former business associate.

El Rene and his Son Jonathan and Meibi and Jonathan, in Happier Days

But El Rene's hatred of Meibi may have run deeper than this.  According to this version El Rene learned that she had betrayed his son, informing Estupiñan that Jonathan had sold drugs he had stolen from members of the Artistas Asesinos.  This information led to Johathan's murder.

There is, however, a different version of the story.  In this account (click here), Jonathan accidentally found some meth among some furniture he was moving from the home of a relative of Meibi, belonging to the Artistas Asesinos.  He sold it to a man (nicknamed "el Nan") who later informed a high-ranking member of the Artistas Asesinos, who then ordered Johathan's execution, presumably for stealing drugs from fellow gang members.  In this account Meibi apparently did not betray Jonathan.  It is possible, however that El René thought she had betrayed his son or was motivated to kill her simply for having forsaken Jonathan for Estupiñan.

El Rene enlisted the help of Rosa Evelyn V.A. to infiltrate the organization of the party at the picadero.  Rosa knew Meibi Oyuki, called her, and got her to go to the party.  When Meibi arrived at the party, according to one account, Rosy called El Rene to let him know she was there.  El Rene then went to the picadero with other members of his hit squad.  According to the account in Borderland Beat (click here), El Rene used Meibi "as bait," calling Estupinan.  It is not clear whether he actually went to the picadero, or whether she agreed to meet him shortly.  When El Rene arrived at the picadero Rosa apparently let him in with his hit squad.  They tied up all of those in attendance, including Meibi, tortured them, and then strangled each one.

Several persons were arrested yesterday in connection with the massacre, including Rosa Evelyn V.A.   The massacre occurred on August 2, the evening of Jonathan's birthday.

From Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet:

Two households, both alike in dignity
(In fair Verona, where we lay our scene),
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.
From forth the fatal loins of these two foes
A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life