Body of Missing Priest Found in Mexico

Recently, officials discovered the body of a Catholic priest who had gone missing over the weekend in Mexico.

Rev. Bertardo Pantaleon Estrada was reported missing by the Associated Press from the Chilpancingo-Chilapa parish. Authorities located Estrada’s body in Guerrero, an area previously linked to a retired bishop who was allegedly lured there while trying to mediate between warring cartels in 2024.

Estrada, 58, served as the pastor at San Cristobal Church in Mezcala. The church confirmed that the body found matched Estrada’s identity. The state prosecutor’s office is treating his death as a murder investigation.

Preliminary police reports indicate that Estrada’s body was discovered inside his vehicle, with multiple gunshot wounds found on a dirt road close to the Chilpansh Igiara highway, which runs from El Platanar to Mezcala. Authorities are actively gathering evidence and seeking to identify any possible suspects.

In 2020, nearly 80% of Mexico’s population identified as Roman Catholic, according to data from the Central Intelligence Agency. However, the Associated Press notes that priests and other religious figures are frequently targeted by criminals. A notable case involved Pastor Marcelo Perez, who was reportedly killed after a Mass in October 2024, allegedly by a local drug dealer.

Between 2019 and 2024, a total of 10 priests in Mexico were reportedly targeted for assassination, as indicated by data from the Catholic Multimedia Center.