In recent days, three butcher shop employees were killed at their workplaces in incidents that authorities are linking to alleged extortion cases.
The first attack occurred on April 21 in the municipality of Centro, when armed men stormed a branch of the “El Jarocho” butcher shop, located in the El Espejo I neighborhood, and killed an employee identified as 24-year-old Giovanni Moisés.
According to the victim’s family, the establishment had already received at least three prior violent warnings, including the express kidnapping of a worker and the burning of a company vehicle, without any security measures being implemented.
“Two things had already happened, they had been given two warnings, and they waited until my brother was killed,” they complained.
The most recent incident occurred on Monday in Jalpa de Méndez, where a cashier, identified as Jessica Ávalos, and a meat cutter were shot and killed inside a ‘Supercarnicerías Grijalva’ butcher shop.
The image of the young mother, after being attacked and killed inside the establishment, went viral on social media and sparked outrage among citizens who demanded justice.
Double homicide at butcher shop being investigated as extortion
The Secretary of Government, José Ramiro López Obrador, confirmed that the double homicide in Jalpa de Méndez is being investigated as a case of extortion, ruling out the initial version of an attempted robbery.
“We are fighting crime, there is no impunity. The fight against crime will continue, and we are also confronting extortion head-on,” he assured.
The official indicated that the investigations are ongoing and that the law will be applied to find those responsible.
He also announced that the state government will seek dialogue with the affected companies to provide them with certainty, following reports of their possible departure from the state due to insecurity.
“I don’t think they will withdraw; we will talk with them, both with Grijalva and with El Jarocho, but we are working to guarantee security,” he stated.
Extortion in Tabasco resulted in 197 complaints in 2025. Regarding the possibility of reinforcing security in Jalpa de Méndez, the official in charge of internal affairs ruled out a special operation, although he affirmed that there is ongoing coordination between the Public Security Secretariat and federal forces such as the Navy.
Meanwhile, the Tabasco State Attorney General’s Office reported that it has already opened investigations into the homicides and is analyzing all possible leads to identify those responsible.
Data from this autonomous body points to a spike in extortion: 144 cases were reported in 2024, and now in 2025 the number has risen to 197. The first 49 investigation files were opened in the first quarter of this year.
Source: elfinanciero
