Iván Morales Corrales, a former federal police officer, and his wife were murdered yesterday afternoon after an armed attack in the municipality of Temixco, Morelos state.
The couple was traveling in a black pickup truck when it was intercepted by another car and several men on motorcycles, who shot and killed them.
The incident occurred outside the Brisas neighborhood in Temixco. The attackers allegedly blocked their path and fired more than 50 shots at the victims.
The attackers abandoned the vehicle at the scene, allegedly leaving behind the weapons used in the attack.
Minutes later, paramedics arrived, but were unable to do anything because the victims were already dead. Police officers launched an operation to locate the attackers.
The former officer survived the downing of an Army helicopter following an attack by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) as they sought to arrest its absolute leader.
Last year, he was among the collaborators of the US Attorney’s Office who testified against Rubén Oseguera González, alias El Menchito, who was later found guilty of two drug trafficking-related charges.
It was on September 16, 2024, when Morales, whose face was disfigured by the flames that engulfed him that day, was called to the stand in federal court in Washington.
In his testimony, he recalled that on April 30, 2015, the operation began, involving 16 soldiers and two federal police officers, including himself. He later revealed that the operation sought to arrest Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias El Mencho, the undisputed leader of the CJNG.
“It was around five or six in the morning, it was still dark, (…) we were chasing some vehicles,” he recalled.
“They started shooting at us. We didn’t even fire at any point (…) I remember we started to fall (…) there was a very strong impact that I felt started to set the helicopter on fire, and that’s when we started to fall and there was a loud explosion.”
The epicenter of the events was Villa Purificación, a town in the mountainous region of Jalisco. In addition to rifles and precision weapons, the aircraft was fired upon with rocket launchers, which ultimately brought it down.
Iván Morales retained the marks on his body until April 30, exactly ten years after the operation that changed his life began.
The agent was found alive hours after the incident, far from the downing area, after which he was transferred to a hospital in Guadalajara, Jalisco.
“I was conscious the whole time. They told me not to sleep… I woke up after a month.”
According to the US narrative, and according to several witnesses, the helicopter was shot down on the orders of Rubén Oseguera González, alias El Menchito, the second-in-command of the CJNG.
Morales’ testimony led a jury to find Oseguera González guilty of trafficking cocaine and methamphetamine and of using firearms and destructive instruments in his criminal enterprise.
On March 7, El Menchito was sentenced to life in prison and recently admitted to the maximum security penitentiary in Florence, Colorado.
What was the first attack on Iván Morales Corrales, the murdered non-commissioned officer, like?
In May 2015, the former federal police officer participated in “Operation Jalisco,” an operation aimed at capturing Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias El Mencho, leader of the CJNG (CJNG).
On September 16, 2024, he was called to stand trial in the federal court in Washington.
Morales recounted that on April 30, 2015, the military helicopter in which he was traveling took off from Mexico City to Colima Airport, from where he was to travel the next day to participate in a secret operation.
However, between 5:00 and 6:00 a.m., the unit was attacked with gunfire. The helicopter was carrying 16 members of the Army and a colleague from the then Federal Police.
“It was approximately 5 or 6 in the morning, it was still dark (…) we were chasing some vehicles,” he recalled. “They started shooting at us. We never fired at any point (…) I remember we started to fall (…) there was a very strong impact that I felt started to set the helicopter on fire, and that’s when we started to fall and there was a loud explosion.”
In the midst of the fire, he explained, he felt a different kind of blow: “I remember we started to fall (…) there was a very strong impact that I felt started to set the helicopter on fire, and that’s when we started to fall (…) a loud explosion.”
The former official survived the helicopter crash and managed to escape from the vehicle amid the flames, although he suffered serious burns.
In 2024, he told his story as part of the trial against Rubén Oseguera González, known as El Menchito, for drug trafficking and firearms possession.
According to U.S. authorities, it was the young Mexican who ordered the aircraft to be shot down to prevent the arrest of his father, a leader of the CJNG.
Source: milenio
