A couple from Chicago was recently confirmed deceased after being reported missing on the outskirts of Mexico City, as their family members shared on Wednesday.
Zafar Padamese Mawani and his partner, Guillermo Japhet Hidalgo Ortiz, had vanished in May while in the southern part of Mexico’s capital.
Mexican authorities made several arrests related to their case and are currently looking for individuals who traveled with the couple from Chicago to Mexico City.
Those detained provided information that led investigators to search the mountains, where four unidentified bodies were recovered.
On Wednesday, Mawani’s family expressed their sorrow upon receiving confirmation from Mexican officials about the deaths of their loved ones. They expressed deep gratitude in a statement.
“We are incredibly thankful to everyone who made efforts to bring Zafar home, including the investigators, support teams, authorities from both nations, and the compassionate volunteer groups and friends who stepped in to help,” the family said.
Mawani and Hidalgo Ortiz had ties to both Chicago and Mexico City, according to a spokesperson for Mawani’s family.
Reports from late May indicated that the men were in Mexico to care for Mawani’s mother, along with peculiar withdrawals from their bank accounts.
Mawani is identified as a U.S. citizen, aged 56, in the official missing persons bulletin. Hidalgo Ortiz is also listed as 56, though his nationality isn’t specified; he was last seen with Mawani south of Mexico City, near La Marquesa National Park.
Federal data shows more than 135,000 people are currently missing in Mexico, many as a result of ongoing criminal violence. While murder rates have decreased since President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration began in 2024, the missing persons figures continue to rise.
In May alone, 977 individuals were reported missing in Mexico, according to the official registry.
Recently, family advocacy groups have been protesting to raise awareness of the ongoing crisis, especially as Mexico co-hosts the FIFA World Cup. They are demanding increased focus and resources for searches, typically organized by the families themselves, often noting that authorities seem to act faster when the missing person is a foreigner.
