A woman from California was fatally shot in a Mexican resort town, known for its popularity among Americans.
Reportedly, the American woman died in the crossfire of a drug deal gone bad in the city of Tulum.
The February 9th incident is currently under investigation by the Quintana Roo State Attorney General’s Office in which an alleged drug dealer from Belize and an American woman identified as 44-year-old Niko Honarbakhsh from Los Angeles both died.
Investigators discovered cocaine, transparent bags with red and orange pills, as well as bags with “brown granulated powder” and other drug paraphernalia on the dead man, leading them to believe he was involved in drug trafficking and part of a gang.
Initial reports suggested there was a romantic involvement between Honarbakhsh and the drug dealer, but the claims have been dismissed by the prosecutor’s office. They believe the woman died as a result of a stray bullet.
Autopsies will be conducted on both bodies as part of the ongoing investigation. The authorities have identified suspects and are actively pursuing leads to apprehend them.
Tulum is a beautiful travel destination for many, but has seen similar incidents in the past, including the deaths of two tourists in a restaurant due to gang violence. Tulum is located south of Cancun and just a few hours north of the border with Belize, which also sits on the Caribbean coast. The U.S. has issued travel warnings for parts of Mexico due to gang violence and the dangers of using synthetic drugs or adulterated prescription pills. In a separate incident, cartel members kidnapped four Americans seeking cosmetic surgery, resulting in the death of two Americans and an innocent Mexican bystander.
