Three young men from San Juan del Río, Querétaro, disappeared after a Holy Week trip to Mazatlán, Sinaloa, and so far there are no clues about their whereabouts. They are José Isaías García Rosey, 23, and brothers Santiago and Enrique Sánchez Rodríguez, 18 and 28, respectively. Their last contact with their families occurred on Monday, April 7.
According to their families, the young men left for Mazatlán last Thursday to spend a few days at the beach. Over the weekend, they shared photos on social media, indicating that the trip was going smoothly. However, on Monday afternoon, while returning to Querétaro, they lost communication after taking a detour to the municipality of La Concordia, Sinaloa.
“The last time my nephew Isaías spoke with his mother was Monday at 8:00 p.m. She said they were on their way back,” said Juan Carlos Rosey Vargas, uncle of one of the missing men.
Background: Between January and April, Sinaloa has recorded at least 472 missing persons, with Culiacán and Mazatlán being the municipalities with the highest incidence. Of that total, only 132 have been found alive. The State Search Commission warns that most cases are concentrated in urban areas with a high presence of organized crime, reflecting a persistent crisis.
The impact has also reached minors, with at least 85 cases between September 2024 and February 2025, mainly in Culiacán and Mazatlán. Authorities and organizations attribute the upswing to the intensification of violence between factions of the Sinaloa Cartel, which has generated an environment of growing insecurity and forced disappearances. Despite search efforts, results remain limited.
A Search for More Than a Month
On Tuesday, April 8, after confirming that none of the young men had returned home, their families filed a complaint with the Querétaro Prosecutor’s Office and requested the intervention of Sinaloa authorities to expand the search. The following Friday, the Sinaloa State Search Commission shared the location information for the three young men.
Since then, no relevant information has been obtained regarding their whereabouts. Friends and family have launched a social media campaign to share their faces and contact information, hoping that someone will provide information that will lead to their recovery.
What is the latest update on the case?
Just on May 2, Sinaloa’s Secretary of Government, Carlos Alcaraz Gutiérrez, reported that the State Prosecutor’s Office now has clues about the whereabouts of the three Querétaro residents. He also noted that the Prosecutor’s Office has leads regarding the possible motive that brought the young men to that area. However, he asked for respect for the work of the authorities and their families.
The official added that the young men’s families remain in communication with the state search commissioner, who provides them with constant updates on the case. Finally, he noted that there are regions of the country where, for security reasons, it has been suggested to avoid non-essential travel, and urged citizens to make informed decisions before traveling to other states.
Following these statements, the Secretary of Government of Querétaro, Carlos Alberto Alcaraz Gutiérrez, urged the public and the media to await official reports on the case.
Six young people missing after vacation
The disappearance of the three young people from Querétaro occurred alongside the disappearance of another group of tourists, one of whom was found dead. On the night of Wednesday, April 23, the Sinaloa Search Commission reported that Erick Mijali Carrillo and Alfonso Arredondo Zazueta, originally from Culiacán, were found alive. Both had disappeared on April 19, along with Efraín Ramírez Ruiz, whose body was found that same day. The cause of death and location of the discovery were not specified.
According to the investigation, the three young men were intercepted by an armed group while driving along Paseo del Atlántico Avenue in a black Mustang, a vehicle that was later found abandoned with bullet holes.
Source: lasillaorta
