Mexico: Two popular singers killed

Two well-known musicians in Mexico were brutally slain over the past few days. Sergio Gomez- a member of the K-Paz de la Sierra band- was kidnapped and strangled to death according to police. Gomez (image, center) had been abducted on Sunday after he played a concert in the state of Michoacán after receiving death threats the previous day. Gomez’ dead body was found yesterday covered in bruises and burns.

Meanwhile, Zayda Pena- lead singer of Zayda y los Culpables- died on Saturday after she was attacked in hospital following a shooting. She was shot in the neck on Friday at a Matamoros motel after the gunman killed two others. Despite surviving that shooting, Pena’s life was snuffed out the following day as she tried to recover.

Sadly, the murders of Gomez and Pena are not the only ones of Mexican musicians this year:

At least eight musicians have been killed in Mexico this year, including performers of the popular northern "Narcocorrido" music whose lyrics often focus on drug trafficking and violence.

Michoacán has made headlines this year for drug-related violence, as traffickers fight over routes to transport drugs north. K-Paz's songs, however, did not deal extensively with drug trafficking. Pena's songs were mostly romantic ballads.

Sources- Reuters, BBC News, contactmusic.com, Canadian Press, Washington Post

Image- Washington Post