Gallery: Chasing Ghosts in a Cartel-Controlled Mexican Town
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Outside of Cocula—a town over from Iguala—a member of the search party scans the hills for signs of kidnapped persons. The man, who preferred not to be identified, is searching for his son who disappeared five years ago.
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Miguel Angel Jimenez, a leader in the community police organization UPOEG, points at a cross etched in a tree trunk. He thinks it may have been the criminal's last attempt at remorse at the grave site where 28 people were burned and buried.
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Edgar Estrada Reyes’ wife disappeared last June and has not been heard from. He has since moved farther up into the countryside to protect himself and his children. "I was very afraid at the beginning to file a report. Even here with cops I’m afraid. Who wouldn’t be? We don’t know who to trust," he says.
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A text message displaying: "Not even your PGR was able to get anything out of us, now watch—you won’t see your kids again." The PGR is the Federal Attorney General's office with subdivisions that investigate kidnapping cases. The cell phone belongs to Jorge Popoca. He alleges his wife and two daughters were taken about six months ago.
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Observers with the Mexico Committee for Human Rights sit in their vehicle on a hot day after searching with family members near the Cocula dump.
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A grave was found outside of Iguala soon after the 43 students disappeared. At first, authorities suspected it contained the students, but DNA confirmed that none of the 28 bodies belonged to them.
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Locals gather with law enforcement officials during a town hall at the San Gerardo church. They feel the government has not done enough to find their missing. The meeting lasts almost eight hours.
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Following paths off the main roads into the hills around Iguala, you can find camps where criminals dump trash from days with kidnapped persons. This garment was discovered in an area called Butcher's Hill, not far from the dump of Cocula where one of the 43 students’ remains was uncovered.
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Twenty-year-old Jesus Pineda Corona helping the search effort. His shirt reads: "I will search for you until I find you."
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Miguel Angel Jimenez heads to inspect the site where 28 bodies were found during the initial search for the students. He hopes to bring back clothing for family members to possibly identify the deceased.
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Personal belongings and trash were discovered near a grave outside of Iguala soon after the 43 students disappeared.
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Miguel and a family member search a corn field near the site where PGR forensic teams are investigating possible grave sites.
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Women’s undergarments and bedding found near the grave.
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A team of family members combing the mountains near Cocula after receiving an anonymous tip about cartel activity in the area.
