Mom Hunted Down 10 Cartel Members For Killing Daughter - Real Life “Taken”

[Music]. bading badao in a small quiet Diner. there's three people sitting at a table. on one side you have a woman and on the. other side you have these two young men. she looks old enough to be their mom but. she's not their mom and the three of. them they look like they're in their own. little world inside of this Diner each. of them have a plate of food in front of. them and each of them have a completely. different energy from each other they. don't look like they're in the same. conversation the woman Miriam is sitting.

there with her back straight staring at. these guys sitting in front of her. almost like she's in a very tense. meeting the guy directly sitting in. front of her is focused on her but his. radio he's got one of those. walkie-talkies it's buzzing on the table. non-stop where periodically someone will. scream street names and Signal where the. police are headed they're tracking. police and military in the area that's. what she's picking up on she hears them. call the man sitting in front of her by. the name of sama that's the the only.

reason she even knows his name is. through the radio then the last guy he. looks like he's at a buffet he's not. even caring about the two of them he's. scarfing down his entire plate of food. and when he's done with his plate he. looks over at Miriam's untouched. sandwich you going to eat that she. pushes her plate towards him and he. starts taking massive bites out of the. sandwich like it's going to be his last. meal or something the guy with the radio. Sama he leans forward your daughter. smoke weed or or.

something excuse me I mean just how. relaxed she is just super chill it's. weird she's been easy to deal with which. is good for us and not freaking out at. all I like that you know I like someone. who can hold their own that's why I kind. of want to let her go then let her go. the decision isn't mine now is it Sama. tells Miriam that he can't just let his. kidnappy go without the big boss. upstairs giving him the go-ahead but. Sama can try to convince the big boss. that Miriam's daughter isn't worth.

killing for a price. $2,000 for $2,000 he's going to make it. happen he's going to convin his boss let. the girl go we don't need to kill her. Miriam looks down and smiles because she. has to play along but she knows her. daughter Karen has been kidnapped by one. of the most dangerous cartels in all of. Mexico nobody gets taken by that cartel. and gets out alive deep deep down in her. heart Miriam knows the GU sitting in.

front of her the cartel members they. killed her daughter and deep deep down. in her heart she knows that she will not. stop until she takes every single one of. them down for what they did she is going. to take out the cartel for taking down. her daughter this is the story of how a. middle-aged mom becomes the most feared. Woman by one of the most dangerous. cartels in all of Mexico some actually. liken this case as the real life taken.

movie This is the casee of Miriam and. Karen. [Music]. Rodriguez we would like to thank today's. sponsors who have made it possible for. rotten mango to support Asylum access a. nonprofit whose goal is to create a.

world where displaced people can access. their rights and rebuild their lives. wherever they find themselves they have. been fighting for Refugee Rights in. Mexico for years and are currently the. largest Refugee legal aid NGO in the. country this episode's Partnerships have. also made it possible to support rotten. mingo's growing team and we would also. like to thank you guys for your. continued support as we work on our. mission to be worthy Advocates as always. full show notes are available at rot. Mingo podcast.com we had our wonderful. Spanish-speaking researcher help assist. in the Gathering of the research of this.

case but today's case truly would not. have been possible without the amazing. book written by Azam mmed titled fear is. just a word a missing daughter a violent. cartel and a mother's quest for. vengeance Not only was the book a wealth. of resources for this case but aam the. author diligently included cultural. context that I think is such a important. aspect of this case and not to mention. he conducted interviews and did his own. boots on the ground research so please. if you're interested please please give.

this book a read now regarding content. warnings today's case involves essay and. trafficking as well as strong themes of. physical violence and last but not least. the most crucial disclaimer there is no. other population more affected by the. cartels than Mexican civilians they. suffer the consequences and they remain. completely innocent and just like how. every Italian person is not part of the. mafia and every Japanese person is not. part of the Yakuza for some reason. perhaps due to some of the rhetoric used. in mainstream media Outlet in the US.

there are groups of people out there. that like to believe that most Mexican. civilians are associated with a cartel. member or with the cartel and to those. people I hope Common Sense finds you. soon the existence of the cartels in. Mexico is not a valid reason nor any. reason at all to generalize and demonize. Mexican people immigrants or. mexican-americans this is also not meant. to deter anyone from visiting or. vacationing in the beautiful country we. recently went to Mexico okay it wasn't. recent maybe like a year ago it feels so. it's beautiful and in fact of course we.

encourage everyone to do their own. research before traveling anywhere but. tourism can be a positive way to support. the economy and support local employment. I also want to acknowledge that the. existence of the cartels is due in part. due to American consumerism in other. words Americans buy crime syndicates. need customers and Americans are the. biggest customers of cartels so with. that being said let's get started the. United States describes Zeta as the most. violent most depress raved most feared.

crime cartel group in all of Mexico they. don't just execute they torture their. signature for the Zas is leaving severed. heads on stakes and dissolving bodies in. acid they call it cooking they always. say do you want to go cook tonight it. means they want to go dissolve people in. assd they will find a busy bridge and. hang their competitors on the bridge one. by one you'll see a row of 10 bodies. bloodied just evidence of torture and a. painful death and then hung up like.

quote Christmas lights to send a message. the Zetas they like their kitchen okay. so by sanitation standards it's probably. wouldn't even pass a health inspection. it is their it's their sacred kitchen. though that's what they call them. they've got kitchens all over the area. single story abandoned houses with these. giant Ovens that they use to incinerate. their victims they cook humans and turn. them into Ash outside these kitchens you. will find mounds of gray dirt human.

ashes mixed in with fragments of human. bones teeth and nails and the Zas are. known for being absolutely brutal that. is what they do they post videos of. their executions on the internet but the. Zeta cartel wasn't even a cartel when. they got started they were actually. known as Hired Guns so the gulf cartel. was one of Mexico's oldest and most. powerful criminal syndicates at their. height they were earning bill millions. of dollars annually every single year.

primarily from the trafficking of into. the United States the more precise. estimates are closer to 20 billion a. year in annual revenue this is a. different one you said this is the gulf. cartel the Zetas were actually part of. the gulf cartel now do you know who else. makes around that much money in Revenue. in a single calendar year in 2023 Nvidia. made close to 27 billion in a single. year I mean they're obviously killing it. this year but still you're talking about. one of the largest tech companies in the.

world right now that's their last year. annual revenue and the gulf cartel was. allegedly bringing in 20 billion a year. at one point now to be fair I don't. think it was all going to the gulf. cartel they were strong partners with. the Cali cartel from Colombia but even. then billions of dollars a year that is. a billion Targets on their back that is. why the gulf cartel creates the Zetas. the Zetas were trained by the United. States not like oh yeah we modeled our. unit after the US military but they were.

physically trained by the United States. military to be fair the US did not wake. up one morning and decide let's go train. the cartel members to militarize their. violence that sounds Splendid they. didn't do that the original group that. forms the Zetas were originally members. of the Mexican Army's Elite Squad called. air moral Special Forces Group the US. and Mexico made this deal where around. 400 special forces from the Mexican Army. would go train in the US mainly learning. how to use heavy Weaponry Machine Guns.

automatic weapons as well as learning. strategy they would specifically be. trained in urban Warfare tactics like. Close Quarters combat building clearing. techniques extensive training in Rifle. and Pistol Marksmanship training using. various explosive devices as well as. sniper training how to use assault. weapons with Precision that's what. they're being trained in their whole. point of their training ironically was. counternarcotics. operations AKA taking down and going up.

against the cartels so they recruit. these members specifically yes side note. military forces from around the world. train at Fort Brag in North Carolina so. it's not like the most mindblowing. concept that Mexico would send their. agents to train there but it does seem. like through this training by the US. Army it would be the birth of one of the. most violent cartels in Mexico they're. actually credited by a lot of people for. starting the violence of cartels cuz. back then cartels were violent amongst.

each other but then slowly cartels. started being violent with the locals. and this is kind of the start of that. the leader of the golf cartel at the. time he starts feeling like the Rival. cartel leaders are going to kill him. which I mean yeah it's a very valid. paranoia they want his very desirable. border territory do you know when was it. born the 2010 Zetas that reent yes so. the gulf cartel they control the. northeastern border that is bordering.

the United States so this is very. valuable territory this is like Prime. for smuggling so all the other cartels. they want to take the gulf territory. that and the Mexican Marines are out. there doing similar things as the. cartels not the drug smuggling but just. shooting everyone on site that appears. to be a cartel member that's what the. Marines are doing and the leader of the. gulf cartel starts getting angsty he. recruits 30 of the Special Forces agents. to be his personal bodyguards 30 of them. he says leave the Mexican Army bring. your us training and come work for me I.

will pay you more than the government. can even imagine you don't understand. how deep the pockets run in the cartels. this sounds a bit more common plain now. but it was not at the time this would be. the first cartel to really incorporate a. paramilitary group into their ranks the. Zetas originally came in a group of 30. former us-based trained Special Forces. agents they started recruiting more of. their former friends and colle leagues. and they create this highly trained.

highly specialized troop for the gulf. cartel they were called the enforcement. arm they protect the gulf cartel's. leaders they carry out violent. operations and assassinations they. secure the cartel's territory and. interest and go kill all the enemies. that need to be. handled they were highly effective so. prior to this the golf cartel they would. just train random kids off the street to. learn how to point and shoot a gun to. protect the cartel's interest but. nothing no one can go up against.

specialized training by the US Army. along with the military style discipline. I mean this is crazy The Zeta Wing is. just straight up lethal there really is. no better way to describe them they go. in for the kill and they get it done. until the Zeta group realizes if we're. the part that makes the gulf cartel so. special then why do we need the gulf. cartel it's not even like the Zetas. aren't doing all the strategizing I mean. it would be one thing if they have the.

Firepower the Manpower and the gulf. cartel is the brains of the operation. but every hit every operation the Zetas. are planning that out like a military. level job like a military level sting so. what would be stopping them from. starting their own cartel and taking all. of the profits The Zeta split off from. the Gulf cartel and cartels are not. really known for being an easy group to. break up with they're not going to send. you nice flowers and send you hope. you're doing well text messages if you. leave they're going to try and kill you. but the newly formed Zeta cartel they.

decide why don't we send a message first. we're not scared in fact we're going to. steal your business in fact we're going. to steal your territory and you will be. lucky if we don't kill you so they split. up from the leader the previous leader. yes from the Gulf cartel and they start. the Zeta cartel March 31st 2010 is the. day Zeta cartel declares war on the. former Gulf cartel that they were part. of this takes place in San Fernando. Mexico for 4:00 a.m. police get a call.

hurry you have to come out quick there's. been an accident on the highway a big. one 10 squad cars rush to the scene and. there's a truck that's rolled over on. its side and there's nobody else there's. one truck driver one rolled truck he. seems like he fell asleep at the wheel. he's refusing to go to the hospital it's. just the whole thing is odd more lights. suddenly come speeding down the highway. firefighters they were also called to. the scene they said massive accident you. need to get down here real quick quick. oh my gosh it's just one truck flipped.

over once all the authorities are there. it kind of feels like an Overkill. situation one truck the truck driver. isn't even badly injured and they have. everyone out here on the highway in the. middle of the night the highway isn't. even loud something's going on somewhere. else it's almost silent and it's a known. thing in San Fernando you typically. don't drive around at night unless you. absolutely must it's the life of living. in a cartel controlled area well it was. controlled by the golf cartel at the.

time okay all right then let's pack it. up the cops are like we got to go let's. keep it moving the police the. firefighters they're all getting ready. to leave when they start feeling a. vibration a. rumbling what the hell is that they. freeze they look up and on the other. side of the highway they see a scene. that looks straight out of an. apocalyptic movie there are rows of. modified Vehicles giant trucks with. tires that are taller than them trailers. Giant SUVs a freaking school bus with a.

gun mount on top and all of them are. spray painted with a Z on the side and. all of them have assault rifles on top. of their vehicles makeshift tanks a. whole Squad of them rows and rows of. them driving down the highway like. they're about to go into war it's a. setup wait are they coming for the cops. they're coming for the town the whole. town the police start rushing to their. radios warning everyone they jump into.

their cars some into the nearby Woods. they're like I'm abandoning this like. I'm leaving I'm not taking my car. they're shooting at us they're shooting. at us everybody come like we got to. leave the bastards are coming from all. the sides as the makeshift tanks are. driving past the police they're just. firing it seems like they have no care. for Wasting Bullets ammunition they're. just firing at everything that they come. in contact with from 4: a.m. to 10: a.m. for the next 6 hours the Zetas go block. to block in San Fernando firing into.

every single public building they could. find they do not fire into residential. buildings they do not fire into. hospitals but everything else the cour. houses the police stations the DMV. things like that the buildings they look. like swiss cheese by the next morning. and the message is very clear the gulf. cartel is no longer in charge the Zetas. are when the San Fernando residents walk. out the next morning some of the bullet. casings left all over the street are. still hot the mass firing of the bullets. was chaotic and unhinged nobody slept a.

single minute last night and by the way. they systematically came into this town. and targeted every single public. building it felt like they were trying. to send a message because they did not. kill a single person oh The Zeta armor. trucks came split up took down different. roads it was very organized like a. military operation like a military. taking over an enemy's town and trying. not to kill the population it's almost. forcing submission yeah yeah yeah that. is crazy no one was killed nobody was.

even seriously injured so it's not that. the Zetas tried to kill people and. failed it's they intentionally did not. want to kill anyone it's like they're. just here to send a message but what. does that message mean does that mean. that they want to get on the good side. of the locals they don't know and that. hope is very quickly crushed because the. gulf cartel they're not going to easily. give up their territory like that they. start fighting back and within a week. all hell breaks loose in San Fernando. car bombs are exploding every 2 seconds. buildings are being lit on fire the.

cartel members start stealing every big. SUV from the dealership just walking. into the lot with rifles assault rifles. stealing all the SUVs to put gun mounts. on top to create basically tanks a. full-on war breaks out between the gulf. cartel and the newly formed Zeta cartel. and every single civilian in that area. would be collateral in a war that they. have no skin in the game in so a lot of. people died. a lot of people tens of thousands of.

people yeah tens of thousands so the. number in San Fernando is kind of up in. the air a lot of people don't report. when their loved ones go missing and. you'll see why soon but the war on drugs. and the cartel violence Wars have in the. span of like a few years I think in one. year alone it was like 60,000 people. died innocent civilians a lot of them so. like I said nobody is more negatively. impacted by the cartels than Mexican. civilians that are all innocent. now when the Zetas take over the town.

they wanted the people to fear them but. not despise them and then the Zetas soon. realized it doesn't really matter what. the residents feel about the cartels as. long as they feared them because fear is. the biggest thing that they can have. it's the most powerful emotion so the. Zetas they start implanting a new way of. operating murder is now the message. that's how they operate psychological. warfare that's how they rule the ter. if anyone wants to start their own.

cartel this is their enemy if the gulf. cartel wants to wage another war against. the Zetas this is their enemy the caloa. cartel most notably run by El Chapo that. is Rivals with the Zetas this is their. enemy and you do not want the Zetas as. your enemy don't get me wrong the Zetas. they were violent from the get-go there. is no denying that but it is stated that. locals believe that they would still. operate similarly as before they. believed okay even if the Zetas break. off from the gulf cartel they're going.

to viciously fight the gulf cartel. they're going to viciously fight any. other cartel that tries to sneak up on. their territory and their smuggling. routes they're going to decimate them. with no mercy and there might be some. collateral damage of innocent lives. taken but they never thought innocent. people would become the target of the. Zetas innocent civilians that have. nothing to do with the cartel World why. would the Zetas Target them what would. they want from them the problem starts. because there are only so many former. special forces that you can recruit from.

it's a numbers game eventually run out. the ones that don't join a cartel are. ruled out the ones that already joined a. cartel are ruled out the ones that died. from being in a cartel are ruled out. there's not an endless supply of. well-trained Special Forces agents but. you can't run a criminal Enterprise. without Manpower so if the Zetas have. 100 former Special Forces no matter how. good they are they can't go up against. 2,000 untrained heavily armed rival. cartel members the Zetas have no choice. but to start recruiting in inexperienced. guys off the street their recruits keep.

getting younger and deadlier there was. one time the Mexican Army went and wiped. out a whole Zeta training camp they have. training camps and the authorities. started getting concerned because they. went in afterwards to see the damage. they found this little girl maybe 13. laying amongst the dead and they thought. we messed up we killed someone that's. not part of the cartel which side note. the Army's method of just wiping out any. cartel member is already quite. controversial but they went in and. thought oh no we killed a girl that's.

not part of the cartel she was the. little 13-year-old girl was a female. assassin that had been working for the. Zetas for more than a year ever since. the Rival cartel the gulf cartel had. killed her dad the Zetas had recruited. her sometimes the Zetas would recruit. people that they would just give them no. choice but to join the Zetas they would. recruit young people and they would. practically force them there is a saying. that is heavily used in the cartel World. by by Pablo Escobar and he would usually.

say it to politicians it's Plateau or. plomo it translates to silver or Lead. meaning as a politician do you want to. take the silver AKA do you want to take. the money and do as I say or do you want. to take the lead in the form of a bullet. do you want to be killed those are your. two choices the Zetas turned it into. silver or steal either take the money. and join the Zetas or the Zetas had an. affinity for decapitating people with.

chainsaws steel chainsaws they wouldn't. even use bullets bullets were for. efficiency and chainsaws were for fun. and the Zetas like to have fun these are. the new recruits in Zeta and to keep. them happy The Zeta leaders told the new. cells or the arms or divisions of their. cartel that they can do whatever the. hell they want as long as you don't. touch oil and drug smuggling everything. else human trafficking. trafficking go at it earn your money.

that way so the leadership doesn't have. to spend so much on overhead funding the. employees they're given a free-for-all. now depending on the leadership of. cartels It Is theorized by people who. study cartels that the tighter the. leadership is at the top the slightly. less violent the cartel is to civilians. I mean obviously depending on the cartel. and the leader but typically if the. leadership has a tight Reign on the. members then it's much harder for people. to step out of line and usually the. leaders if they have a tight reain they.

tend to be a little smarter and I'm not. saying smarter equates to anything. they're all morally corrupt but um they. tend to not want to get on the locals. bad side for no reason right right so. they get very upset with their members. if they mess with the locals for no. reason now this move this was a. free-for-all for these heavily armed. money-hungry violent sadistic new. members of the Zetas they start going. into forcing business owners to pay the.

money for protection essentially. racketeering they blatantly steal from. businesses car dealerships even from. small mom and pop businesses whatever. they want they get it in the beginning. if someone said no they were brutally. killed on site and very quickly. civilians knew that saying no is not an. option here even looking at zeta's wrong. on the street was a death wish you're. signing your death certificate a US. judge stated about a Zeta high-ranking. Hitman that was later tried in the US. they said about the cult of the Zetas. without Mercy without thought they.

brutally murder anyone and everyone as. it suits them and the cartel at times. inflicting the cruelest of pain forcing. relatives to watch their loved ones. murdered before he turns his blades on. them other cartels have straight up. accused them of not following the. gentleman's code of conduct when it. comes to drug trafficking and at one. time it was considered bad form for the. cartel members to kill pregnant women. but not anymore after the Zetas in one. incident a Hitman for the Z's. dismembered a young girl with an axe.

while she was alive and lit her body on. fire in front of her parents it said. that he did this while laughing and. Shrugged at the parents and said so this. is you'll remember. me so this is you will remember me. meaning don't forget me cuz now you. remember me cuz I dismembered your. daughter in front of you then he dragged. the mom up to kill her the exact same. way while forcing the dad to watch I'm. assuming the dad was the. target this is what the Zetas are doing.

Miriam a regular civilian in San. Fernando a middle-aged mom is looking. for the florist it's not exactly how she. imagined her early morning to be going. she's still in her pajamas she's got a. trench coat thrown on top a baseball cap. she just looks like she rolled out of. bed and was summoned by somebody to run. this errand she never even liked flowers. to begin with they remind her of. funerals and death and now she's weaving. through the streets trying to go through. the vendors that are trying to sell you.

water and snacks to look for the. freaking. florist most people in town don't even. know the florist's real name they just. call him the florist because ever since. he was a kid he would just sell flowers. on the street he'd be standing on the. corner holding a few stems of flowers. looking very hungry if it was a. marketing tactic it was definitely. working anytime Miriam would make a big. dinner she was known for this she would. call all the kids in the area that look. like they could use a warm meal and she. would call them over and the florist was. usually on that gu list it's clear that.

nobody was taking care of him that is. Miriam's very first and most consistent. memory of the florist but it's. interesting because he was just always. in Miriam's life not really ever in her. life but just a side character that. never fully went away he was just always. kind of there even later when Miriam's. youngest daughter Karen starts getting. older the florist would chase her down. and try to give her flowers for free and. side note they're around the same age so. it's not like this middle-aged florist. May and chasing down a. 17-year-old Karen has this very bright.

light colored blonde hair and she has a. quote Rosy complexion and so a lot of. people said it made her stand out in the. area and a lot of guys were interested. in her and I guess including the florist. but Karen would nicely reject the. florist offer him a dollar or two. knowing that he wasn't doing well and. then walk back to school Karen was. always very sweet with the florist. that's what Miriam is thinking about. when she sees him down the walkway there. he is the florist she starts running up.

to him and then tackles him on the. ground she pulls out a loaded pistol. from her trench coat jacket jams it into. his back and Whispers into the florist's. ear if you move I will [ __ ] shoot you. she also knew the florist was now part. of the Zeta cartel he was part of the. cell that kidnapped and killed her. daughter Karen she jams the gun deeper. into the skin of his back but she. doesn't need to he knows she will shoot. if he moves because this is not Miriam's.

first cartel takedown the florist is her. 11th Target before him there were 10. four are now in prison and six are now. dead the florist was about to be dead. too if he doesn't do as Miriam says but. Miriam took care of him right took care. of him he's arrested no no I'm saying. like Miriam was like giving him food yes. when he was younger January 24th 2014 a. couple wake up in their home in Texas. it's very quiet perhaps a little too.

quiet they make their way downstairs and. on the kitchen table is a note whoever. wrote it they didn't take the time to. make it neat or even to explain what the. note is about it just reads along the. lines of sorry I'm never coming back. something awful has happened the couple. glance at each other and they run to. their son's room they slam open their. door and their 10-year-old son is laying. in bed sleeping peacefully. what why would their Nanny just leave I.

mean they had gotten along so well with. her she was slowly becoming part of the. family and their son absolutely adored. her they thought that she was enjoying. the position too she never complained. about her job so why would she just up. and leave Miriam did not have time to. explain she didn't have time to sit. there and tell the couple that she. worked for that at 4:00 a.m. she got a. call from her eldest daughter aelia. Miriam shoots up in bed what's wrong. what happened mom something awful. happened with your husband or nesto no.

no aelia starts sobbing just tell me. something awful happened to Karen Miriam. was already packing her bags by this. point she scribbles down a note tosses. it on the counter starts running out the. door she jumps onto a bus from Texas. heading into San Fernando it's going to. take at least 2 hours that's on top of. the time that she already had to wait. for the bus and Miriam is overwhelmed. with anxiety right now what is she. supposed to do for the next 2 hours on. this bus she sits on the very back row. and starts silently sobbing a few people.

on the bus they try to comfort her one. of the older men hands her his. handkerchief are you all right ma'am my. daughter has been kidnapped by The Zeta. cartel the man just nods because by now. most of the locals know the Zeta cartels. have been kidnapping innocent people he. looks down and he slowly pulls out a. piece of paper from his pocket grabs a. pen and jots a few things down call my. son my son is a lieutenant in the. Mexican Marines Miriam thanks him and. goes back to stopping in her seat she.

got the call from aelia about Karen. being kidnapped at 4:00 a.m. by 8:00. a.m. she's back in San Fernando fill me. in tell me everything that's happened. zelia is a mess I heard something near. the door in the middle of the night so I. got up from my sleep I started walking. towards the front door and I saw Dad. this isn't the most alarming thing until. you realize that aelia and her dad are. somewhat arranged they haven't spoken to. each other in the past 2 years and. suddenly he's at her doorstep in the. middle of the night she opens the door.

he looks very disheveled and I don't. know if it's sister Intuition or what. but aelia just blurts out Karen her dad. is stepping into the house when his. phone starts ringing they Rush inside. close the door pick up the phone and put. it on speaker it's a man's voice Louise. by now you know we have your daughter. I've discussed it with the group and. after much consideration we've decided. the ransom to get your daughter Karen. back is going to be. $77,000 USD USD. before they can respond they hear.

Karen's voice Dad please they just want. the money it's not about anything else. if you pay they'll let me go if not I. guess this is goodbye iselia would later. say it felt like something in her. sister's voice sounded very unsure like. she wasn't positive that her dad was. willing to pay the money to save her and. before they can even respond to that the. caller hangs up. $77,000 the average salary in me Mexico. in a year is around 122 to.

$15,000 they're asking for. $77,000 by 300 p.m. the next day in the. next 12 hours they have to come up with. $77,000 nobody slept all night when 88: a.m. rolls around Louise their father is. getting ready he puts on his best. clothes he showers shaves slicks back. his hair he needs to look as good as. possible for this he starts practicing. in his head what he's going to say when.

he walks into the bank hi I would like. to get a loan for my business by 10:00. a.m. the family have combined all of. their funds their entire life savings. the loan from the bank that they just. got any other valuable Goods they could. sell for cash all of it amounted to less. than. $10,000 a seventh of what they're asking. for Louise was to drop off the money at. a local Health Center and Miriam parked. so that she could see the handoff but. the cartel couldn't see her she waits. they wait for 2 hours and this man.

honestly boy walks up he looks like a. teenager he's young he's skinny he grabs. the bag of cash but Louise doesn't like. go my daughter meet her at the cemetery. in 20 minutes and with that the boy runs. off with the bag of cash he jumps into. this cherry red Ford Explorer and they. speed off okay that's okay they're going. to be reunited with Karen money is just. money they're going to have Karen and. everything's going to be okay and they. drive over to the cemetery and they just. wait and wait and wait and nothing the. next morning they get a call the.

kidnappers the cartel they assure the. family everything's fine we just didn't. want to go out in the rain yesterday. which is technically true the minute. that they got to the cemetery there was. a storm as some streets in San Fernando. were even briefly flooding so yeah I. mean it all tracks but the whole next. day the family are sitting there. anxiously waiting for another drop off. location but it never comes I mean I. think all of them had this small fear in. their minds but everybody held on to the. hope the kidnappers just want the money.

we paid the money there's no reason for. them to kill. Karen the next day the kidnappers break. into Miriam's house where she lives with. Karen obviously Miriam wasn't there at. the time she was staying with aelia her. other daughter but the cartel break into. her house go through Karen's things. which is a good sign right I mean. they're grabbing clothes for her which. means she's coming back they're just. robbing her maybe they wanted a little. more Goods but that day after breaking. into the house they call the family back. we need more money the family just stare.

at the phone. how how on Earth do you think we have. more money ransoms are very tricky if. you pay too quickly on one hand you do. that because you want to ensure the. safety of your loved one as quickly as. possible but on the other hand if you. pay money too quickly the kidnappers. might think that they low baled you and. you have way more money than that and if. you can easily whip up $10,000 you can. easily whip up another $10,000 but they. truly the family they do not have more. money Miriam ends up borrowing from.

everybody she can think of and gives the. kidnappers another. $2,000 by this point the hope is still. there they had truly given everything. the kidnappers surely the cartel know. that they're I mean they're organized. crime they know how money Works they. know how much money families in Mexico. have or rather don't have in this. situation this should be enough to get. Karen back within a month with Karen. still gone that hope starts dying off. nobody in the family really says it ever.

they all still talk as if Karen's going. to walk in through the front door any. second now but nobody actually believes. it anymore even Miriam who was the. backbone of the entire family the one. that holds Faith and Hope longer than. anybody else even Miriam is starting to. lose hope by the end of the month Karen. is still not back and Miriam is falling. into a depressive State obviously for. her missing daughter which I don't think. we can really put into words but even. beyond that it's like the whole the. whole situation breaks every concept of.

life that Miriam thought she knew she. thought as long as her kids stay out of. trouble keep their head down don't go. out alone at night they would be. Untouched by the cartel violence that's. how Miriam grew up the cartels would. leave innocent uninvolved they would. leave them alone she would tell her kids. all day every day keep your head down. mind your own business don't talk back. and don't go out at night which even. just telling them that made her inside. so angry m Miriam is the opposite of. that she is never shy to share her.

thoughts or get into these loud heated. arguments to defend whatever she thinks. is the correct answer and Miriam tricked. herself to think that they lived in this. bubble she thought only the rich get. kidnapped for ransom only the cartel. members get killed in turf wars only the. slightly guilty somewhat involved go. missing they don't just take random. innocent people it doesn't make sense. none of it makes sense it's not the way. the world works right you're supposed to. be a good person if you abide by the. rules nothing that bad happens to you I.

mean obviously you experience hardships. and challenges but you're not going to. get kidnapped by the cartels because. what would they want to do with you. isn't that the unspoken. agreement everyone could just see. Miriam's decline Miriam was someone who. took a lot of care in her makeup and. clothing choices she hadn't put on. makeup in the past month she rarely ever. changed out of her pajamas she spent all. day laying there scrolling on her phone. trying to think of ways to get Karen. back think of possibilities of where she. might be and so for a month Miriam.

grieved she did nothing else but just. wallow in fear for Karen grief for her. family and how they're going to handle. this and then just self-pity for herself. she is. spiraling until February 23rd. 2014 1 month after Karen has vanished. Miriam gets up takes a bath sits down in. front of a mirror and brushes her hair. out for the first time she puts on a. full face of makeup walks back back. downstairs almost shocking her daughter.

aelia Mom are you going somewhere. they're not bringing Karen back to me I. know this in my heart as a mother Karen. is. dead there was no self-pity or grief in. her voice just. determination for the rest of my life. with the time that I have left I'm going. to find the people who did this to my. daughter and I'm going to make them pay. Miriam got into her truck that day and. aelia would say her mom was never the.

same after that because that was the day. she decided Karen is dead and soon her. Killers will be dead too if Miriam had. anything to do with it but first she. needs to find out what happened to her. little girl to find out who needs to pay. but even that's going to be hard the. Zetas never have a reason for kidnapping. someone it's just what they do now the. city of San Fernando has a curfew it's. not just for teenagers or miners to get. home by a certain time or else it's for. every single resident get home by 5:00.

p.m. if you know it's good for you if. you have an emergency that you need to. go outside after dark really think. really weigh out the benefits is it. worth the risk even trips to the. hospital or pharmacy at night will you. survive until the morning yeah then. maybe you should wait until then because. as much as the Zetas are violent they. are a deeply paranoid Group which makes. sense because their come up is betraying. the cartel that they used to work with. and creating their own Division and. taking over the original territory of. the original cartel not only are they.

paranoid that the original cartel the. gulf cartel is going to come back and. take Vengeance on them they're also. concerned that other cartels the caloa. cartel is going to take their territory. but they're also concerned that other. factions are going to break off from the. Zetas and start their own cartel there's. a lot of paranoia in San Fernando so. they've created a curfew anybody driving. at night would likely be stopped by Zeta. patrols with assault rifles they act. like they own the town I mean they do. more often than not if you're a young. man they will just assume that you're.

part of a cartel and if you're not. someone that they're familiar with then. in their minds you're part of the other. cartels which means you're the enemy and. you need to die if you're not a young. man they could still be thinking that. you're working for the other cartels or. you could be up to no good maybe you're. selling drugs on this side you're not. allowed to do that this is their. territory or maybe they just like your. car or maybe they think that you'd be a. good sex trafficking victim or maybe. they think that they should kidnap you. and Ransom you there really is no reason. on why they kidnap anybody Zeta just has. a habit of kidnapping locals and forcing.

their families to pay Hefty ransoms to. get their loved ones back innocent. civilians that have nothing to do with. the cartels so back then when Miriam was. growing up cartels were just cartels. they smuggle drugs they make obscene. amounts of money they drive luxury cars. and they host these parties I would say. it's safe to say most Mexican citizens. now definitely hate the cartels but back. then even when the cartels were doing. their own thing they didn't like the. cartels but even if the police and the.

government can't stop them what are the. citizens going to do they can't stop. them so they're just trying to coexist. it seems the consensus is stay out of. their way and they'll stay out of yours. that's how it used to be some people. would even say that they actually liked. cartel leaders at one point Pablo. Escobar was known for almost having a. Robin Hood image in his particular. Hometown not a lot of other towns but he. would fund housing projects and help. build soer fields which generally earned. him a bit of admiration from some of the.

residents other cartel members not just. part of Pablo Escobar's group but other. cartels would have high- ranking. officials pay for the bills of every. single civilian at a restaurant when. they go out to eat just so the community. would like them which made it easier to. traffic drugs through their town but. it's not like that anymore times have. changed it said that cartels used to. just Target the rich but now they just. do whatever they want one expert about. the Zeta said The Zeta steal from. everyone not just the rich they.

certainly don't give much back to the. poor except the corpses of their. relatives they are just known for being. a different kind of human being to give. you an idea of what Miriam is up against. one of the most heinous crimes committed. by the Zetas was actually um all over. international news at the time the Zetas. were monitoring a highway they stopped. two trucks that were trafficking. migrants to the US border there were 70. plus migrants in the trucks the Zetas. pulled them over forced their trucks to. drive to one of their kitchens or. ranches in the middle of nowhere they.

fed them all tacos and sodas sat them. down in a big circle and started talking. $500 a week that's unheard of the type. of work you guys are trying to do in the. US you're not going to get paid $500 a. week if you come work for US $500 a week. the offer is very simple work for us. fight the war against the Mexican Army. and the gulf cartel the men you guys. will be trained killers and the women. will be domestic workers what do you. guys think. one by one all of the 70 plus people.

said no The Zeta smiled yeah okay no. problem then let's get you guys going. they load everyone back onto the trucks. but instead of leading them back onto. the highway the trucks are led to. another Ranch this one is even more. isolated there were about nine Zetas. tying up everybody's hands with zip ties. some were blindfolded and forced into. this tiny abandoned single story house. and for the next 2 hours almost all of. them are brutally murdered. 72 were found dead for what it's likely.

that there have been more massacres like. this before but the Mexican Marines were. able to find out about it before the. Zetas cleaned up the bodies it became. international news and also because a. lot of the migrants were not Mexican. citizens it becomes a bit of a. international diplomatic Nightmare and. this was just pure proof that the. violence with the cartels is getting out. of hand even the president can't ignore. it because the whole world is talking. about it these are the types of people. that Miriam is going up against but the. whole world isn't talking about Karen.

unfortunately that's not how the new. cycle seems to work 72 dead. international news a young girl in. Mexico goes missing Without a Trace it's. not even local news it's Town. conversation it's gossip it's a sad. family until the next one goes missing. it's up to the family to figure out what. happened not even the police really care. Karen's family start piecing together. the last time that they heard from Karen. aelia asked Karen if she wanted to go to. church reading with her but Karen said. oh I can't go I have to go out with the.

cousin tonight so the rest of the night. aelia periodically tries to either call. or text Karen and she doesn't respond. zelia is a bit panicked considering. everything that's going on in the area. but she just assumed Karen forgot to. charge her phone and she would just. respond tomorrow but then her dad shows. up at the door the first person Miriam. talks to is the cousin that Karen was. eating dinner with which is the reason. that she couldn't go to church with. aelia the cousin said it was was weird. they were sitting down eating and Karen.

got this call all of a sudden and she. tells him I got to go what where why I. have to go pick up a friend which friend. a guy named ues I got to go love you bye. Karen was out the door he didn't even. get a chance to ask who the hell is ules. I've never heard of him before ules was. a deadend lead for now but Miriam heard. someone else had been kidnapped with. Karen actually Karen had been kidnapped. with a whole group of her friends Carlos. was one of them Carlos was a close. friend of Karen who was there the night.

she was kidnapped because he was going. to fix her car for her he went missing. and the next morning Karen's mom gets a. call demanding money from the kidnappers. the cartel she tells the kidnappers I. have no money and they laugh into the. phone before hanging up they say well. then we'll send your son in. pieces and they hung up on her but. somehow Carlos is home he's back what. and he's very much alive and he knows. exactly what happened to Karen so for.

months Miriam starts begging Carlos to. talk to her but he's terrified likely. threatened by the Zetas that if he says. anything he's going to be dead. eventually Carlos starts telling Miriam. bits and pieces about what happened that. night the way Carlos describes it it's. like a group of people violent offenders. escaped from a mental hospital with guns. and. chainsaws that's how it felt being. kidnapped by the Zetas they're a group. of unpredictable unhinged unstable. terrifying violent people Carlos had.

gone to Miriam's house so Miriam is in. Texas working and Karen lives there. alone Carlos had gone with his cousin to. Karen's house since he had already. agreed to be there to fix Karen's car. and while they're arriving before they. get to the front door they are startled. Two Men start coming out of the house to. greet them oh hey uh is Karen home is is. Karen she's not here if you want though. you can come in and you can wait for her. Carlos and his cousin walk in and.

immediately in the living room they see. Karen laying on the floor crying her. hands and feet are tied together and her. face is completely bloody and swollen. Carlos and his cousin try to beine it. out the door but the guys Point rifles. into their faces and one of them laughs. oh you're so [ __ ] now the two gunmen. tie Carlos and his cousin up they're. tossed near the back of the house like. flower sacks but they could hear the two. men just beating Karen kicking and. punching her her all over they kept. demanding to know what information Karen.

leaked but she sounds so confused by. this question what information are you. talking about how can I leak information. I don't know I think you have me. confused with somebody else I don't know. what you're talking about but with each. denial they just keep torturing her more. we know you work for the gulf cartel. Karen is frantic she's screaming I have. nothing to do with any of the cartels. please they don't care they keep. torturing her suffocating her bringing. her back when she passes out and doesn't. get back up they pour buckets of cold.

water on her they're slamming their. fists into her face and she keeps. telling them you have the wrong person. eventually the group Karen and her. friends that were tied up elsewhere in. the house are taken to a separate. location including Carlos and his cousin. they call it the Ranch at the ranch. they're all lined up inside the group. from Karen's house but also other. strangers that had already been there. the Zetas are screaming at the group. telling them you're going to get get the. bag do you know what the bag is it's. where they put a plastic bag over your.

head until you're on the brink of death. and then they bring you back you'll get. the bag if you don't cooperate Carlos. said it sounded like the Zetas were. convinced that Karen specifically was. working with the gulf cartel and they. kept trying to extract some sort of. confession from her but she sounded as. confused as everybody else but all the. others could just hear Karen screaming. no I'm not with them and then there. would just be sounds of her being. tortured and screaming for Mercy the Z. does come around to one of Karen's.

friends shoves a pistol in his mouth and. asks him what do you want to say as your. last. words he just said what did I do the. kidnappers start laughing they do this. down the line to every single person all. of them are kneeled and tied up one of. them says what's your last words the. next guy responds to the kidnappers may. God bless you and the kidnappers are. swinging around their assault rifles. pointing them at them unhinged just. cackling this motherucker thinks he's in.

a movie did you hear that say it again. the third man instead of saying. something for his last words he. complained if he could just untie his. boots because they're too tight right. now and it's cutting off the blood. circulation the male kidnappers start. laughing again and they call over a. woman she walks over and she laughs in. his face starts jumping up and down with. all her weight on the man's leg. until he's sobbing in pain she leans.

down in his face then how does that feel. now do your feet still hurt and they. start laughing eventually they load. everybody up and move them to another. location another Ranch where they're all. shoved into another small house. abandoned house and they're forced to. sit on this dirt floor they were told. that their families were going to get. Ransom calls and if they pay the ransom. they'll let them go they went one by one. asking for the family phone numbers and. it was at this Ranch that same woman. that was jumping on the Man's legs. starts focusing on Karen Carlos said.

this woman hates Karen for no reason she. doesn't even seem to know Karen other. than the fact that Karen's pretty that's. what this woman hates Carlos said the. woman straight up grabbed Karen by the. hair spun her around so that she's. laying on her stomach straddled her back. and she said this is for being so pretty. and starts smashing her head against the. floor and using her fist to Pummel her. they were kept overnight making calls to. their families for ransom and by the. next morning one of the guys pointed at.

all of the male captives put the. [ __ ] in the truck he points at Karen. and her friend Barbara the two women. take the bit to the tree you know what. to do two guys drag Karen and Barbara. over to the tree they Tie a yellow rope. around their necks and fling it over the. tallest branch of the tree and start. pulling the other end of the. Rope Karen is fighting back she's trying. to Break Free one guy is holding the. other end of the Rope keeping her.

suspended and another guy comes up to. grab a stick so he can beat Karen with. it like a pinata the ones that survived. didn't see the rest but they were told. and they speculate that Karen was killed. on the tree and later potentially. dissolved in acid cooked as they call it. and I always I mean I think all cases. are. very devastating but I always find the. ones where. as kids they they overcome all their.

obstacles and somehow are almost Miracle. babies and then their lives get stolen I. think it's like an extra level of just. betrayal from the world that Miriam is. feeling because Karen was able to. overcome her heart murmur she was able. to overcome all of these obstacles and. then they take her and then they kill. her Cristiano was Miriam's next Target. he was rather easy to catch not the. brightest one in the group he was. arrested without a fight and immediately. he starts confessing to who he is he.

admits that he was part of the. kidnapping unit that took Karen and. Miriam stares at the guy that she once. gave her sandwich to he looks even. younger now he just turned 18 according. to records the cops take his shirt off. to take photos of him he looks even. younger with his shirt off Cristiano. gave Miriam a few more names to work. with another guy involved was killed by. the Marines at the ranch the main boss. that ordered the kill was a guy by the. name of L Larry L Larry was the one that. took most of the money L Larry was. ruthless according to Cristiano he would.

order kidnappes to be killed and cooked. in a giant steel pot his favorite thing. was to just make everyone decapitate. everyone they would also do this thing. where they would get the kidnappes and. make them fight to the death Gladiator. style and last one standing gets to go. home but most of the time they don't get. to go home with every line of aggressive. questioning from the police Cristiano. would ask for his mom and he would. constantly state to the officers that. he's hungry Mar was watching all of this. in a separate room she could hear and. see them and she would walk into the.

interrogation room stare at this kid who. killed her. daughter and hand over her lunch that. she brought for herself later the police. were so confused by Miriam and they. asked her why would you do that and she. said he's a child no matter what he did. when I heard him saying he was hungry it. was like I heard my own child and I know. a lot of people might be confused but I. think this has a lot to do with the. context of they all grew up in an area.

where a lot of the kids didn't have a. lot to eat and so I think it it's just. this motherly Instinct that comes out I. think it also goes back to probably. given the circumstances most of these. kids would not have joined a cartel that. doesn't excuse anything that cartels do. but it does seem like most of these. people would not have joined the cartels. if they had any other options this is is. like probably the the most mother of a.

story I've ever heard in every aspect. yeah and she she is a deeply flawed. character later we'll see but but I mean. what can we say when Cristiano and the. others are responsible for all the other. children dying in the area yeah he's a. child but so is everybody else at the. time miran's son Louise felt like his. entire generation his age group was. being exterminated that's what it felt. like they're being exterminated by the.

cartels either they join the cartels. because they have no choice and they die. in a battle that they never had skin in. the game for or more often than not they. just vanish because of the cartels he. would think of a former classmate. remember them want to reach out to them. and realized they had gone missing that. happened way too often but all the. pieces are coming together with Sama and. Christiano story as well as some of the. other survivors from that night Miriam. comes out with a longer list a hit list. El Flo the florist El Mario el chaa el.

Kik is the young man that allegedly. pulled the rope that killed Karen SoDo a. former sex worker that is now dating El. Kik and a woman named La maora that's. her nickname most of these are nicknames. because they don't use their real names. she is the woman that beat Karen for. being pretty they're all on Miriam's. list and they're all involved in killing. her daughter and one by one Miriam is. going to take them down because to her. she said fear is just another word if. there is someone you don't want chasing.

you it would probably be Miriam the. running joke in their family was Miriam. wanted to be a cop but she wasn't. corrupt enough for it she didn't qualify. for the job this wasn't even the first. time someone in their family was. kidnapped or almost kidnapped what aelia. Miriam's eldest daughter Karen's older. sister is married to a man named Ernesto. one day the couple get home and they see. this letter near their front door and. they Rush inside to open it up there's. no signature on the front or back but it. was however weighted tied to a weight so.

whoever left this for them wanted to. make sure that they got it and they knew. it was for them and it didn't get swept. away in the wind they open up the letter. and it's like a stalker's confession a. very long list of every coming and going. out of the house what time or nesto goes. to work what he ate at the local coffee. shop where he likes to grab lunch after. work every little detail about his every. little day was broken down and logged. clearly someone is watching him very. intently and at the very bottom of the L. it reads if you wish not to be kidnapped. call this number before the couple call.

the number they call Miriam that seems. like the best person who would know what. to do she tells them over the phone I. have a plan I will drop off the money to. the. kidnappers what are you insane mom what. do you think they want an old woman for. they'll take the money and they'll let. me go the negotiations begin between. Miriam and the Zetas Miriam haggled on. getting the ransom down so they're. trying to get a ransom before they even. kidnap him cuz they're like less work. what that's crazy they're like if you.

don't pay it we're going to kidnap you. you're going to have to pay it anyway if. you want to live so just pay it now but. that doesn't even mean that they're not. going to kidnap you Miriam haggles on. getting the ransom down she argued that. there's no way that they could afford. the initial request eventually they. settle on a number or well Zeta. threatened the family and showed more. information about Ernesto they're on the. phone and Zetas are going off and on. about how much information they have. about Ernesto and where he is and where. he works and about his own family and. Miriam starts getting impatient she.

snaps at them well if you know so much. about us then you know that we don't. have that kind of money don't be such an. [ __ ] she's saying this to the Zetas. and just like that it's settled Miriam. is going to drop off the money and. hopefully she will come back the fear. they have is they're going to take the. money and kill Miriam for the hell of it. or kidnap her and then ask for more. Ransom but they clearly don't have more. money so then she's going to get killed. anyway aelia tries to stop her mom. please Mom this isn't even concerning. you this is our. responsibility it's him they want what. do they want with an old woman like me.

and besides if they try to take me I'm. not going to let them she flashes her. little pistol in her jacket pocket and. before Miriam heads out she turns to her. eldest daughter and tells her if I'm not. back in 15 minutes pack your things take. Karen and go to the US Miriam drives to. the abandoned gas station there's three. SUVs waiting for her there's nobody else. out there's curfew nobody's driving. around Miriam parks are her car near one. of the cars rolls down her window and a. MK man is sitting in the seat leave the.

cash over there on top of one of the. empty pumps Miriam glances over they. want her to get out of the car they want. her to place the cash at the empty pump. Miriam tosses the bag of cash out the. window throws it Chucks it and just. drives off she's like I'm not freaking. getting out the car are you crazy yeah. just throws it out the window and drives. off when Miriam gets back aelia and her. whole family are in the kitchen with a. bag packed waiting nervously and aelia. starts crying when she sees her mom walk.

in the door and she tells her mom what. you did that's not something we can ever. repay you for Miriam just has this. tenacity that a lot of people don't it's. very rare wait so did he come back yeah. they never told they never oh that's. right they're fine right right right. never got kidnapped and aelia said when. Karen was four Miriam found out that she. was pregnant again so this was going to. be another baby but when they went to. the hospital the doctor said not only. are you not going to deliver the baby.

but you have. cancer iselia remembers looking at her. mom's face looking for any sort of sign. that she's going to break down or that. she's what's going on but Miriam just. shakes her head at the doctors well I. can't die I got I got a young kid. Karen's four Louise is barely 13 there's. nobody else that's going to take care of. them so it wasn't pleading it wasn't. desperate it wasn't like no I can't die. it was just yeah yeah well I can't. really die I'm kind of busy right now I.

know cancer has no association with how. the person approaches cancer or cancer. treatment but to just look at a cancer. diagnosis like that and have that kind. of response is just very intense Miriam. went through weeks of radiation and. chemotherapy until she was finally. cancer-free then the doctors told her. that her health was declining due in. part because of her weight she's 56 and. weighed more than 350 lbs for most of. her life which there's nothing wrong. with that but specifically in Miriam's. case her doctors said that she was not.

healthy Miriam ends up getting a gastric. bypass procedure which limits the amount. of food your stomach can hold to give. you a comparison a regular adult stomach. can hold about six cups of liquid in. food when it's full a gastric sleeve Can. Only Hold about one cup when it's full. now it's not a very dangerous procedure. but aelia was so nervous for her mom she. asked her are you not scared her mom. just said I feel like I answered that. with a cancer diagnosis if that didn't. kill me you think this is going to kill. me now she weighs 135 lb and she is very.

grateful for that surgery because it. helps her hunt some of her days consist. of hiking through abandoned ranches. staking out safe houses she would have. to chase down and Tackle Zeta cartel. members so she is very conscious about. her. health so she's hunting down these. members yeah and none of them are coming. back to her like or or kidnapping her or. doing something something to her I think. the leadership in. Zeta as of right now are not scared of.

her they think she's annoying probably. or maybe they haven't even heard of what. she's doing so they they lose a few. members they're like okay whatever yeah. whatever they don't even know what's. going on with these low ranking members. that killed Karen but I think these. low-ranking members I think they're a. little scared of Miriam at least one by. one and it seems like most of them have. split up so some of them died by the. Marine some of them are in prison I. think if they were collectively still in. a group setting maybe they would have.

kidnapped Miriam right right but yeah in. Mexico you don't go missing you are part. of the Disappeared that's what they call. you the word means something else. completely it means your presence has. basically been deleted nobody knows what. happened to you they can guess and. they're probably right but nobody will. help find you and if you know someone. who's disappeared then your life is in. this Perpetual limbo this torture of not. knowing what happened to them and not. knowing if there's anything you could. have done to prevent it it said to be a.

very devastating experience and up until. Miriam there was not even a support. group or a community for those who. suffered from having a loved one vanish. Miriam starts her own Vanishing. Collective that's what it was called. family members of lost ones would come. together to hear each other out to. support each other and to write letters. and call and demand answers from the. government this was unheard of this is. during a time where you were told hey. you're loved one who was taken by the. cartels if you report it to the police. most likely the police work with the.

cartels and once the cartels know that. you've reported it another one of your. family members is going to go missing. just because you pissed them off but now. Miriam is gathering up all of the. families and helping them get. compensation from the government most of. them don't even know that they qualify. for compensation the government didn't. like to tell them that they did and even. when they find out the government is. like you got to jump through all these. hoops Miriam would study the law Miriam. was here she spent all day making calls. pulling favors threatening people Miriam. was a threatener okay she would threaten.

to expose politicians to call the. Marines on the police to call the police. on the Marines she was doing a lot but. Miriam was here and she was going to. help them and try and get answers just. something Miriam starts her journey as. one of the better known advocates in. that area she was known for getting done. which means she's very aggressive she. was Notorious for harassing and. threatening officials that was her thing. she told the collective in numbers they. have power as a group they have power.

they can make people listen she told. them not even the government knows how. many of us are out here but still she's. out here making a difference right and. that's when her kids as and Louise start. asking her isn't that enough most of. Karen's killers are slowly coming down. she's Tracked Down elf Flo who it said. he skipped town quit the criminal world. and was now working at a factory she. Tred him down had him arrested then she. Tracked Down the florist El Mario was.

taken down the girl from the meat shop. was arrested El Kik the one that pulled. the Rope was ironically arrested at. church the minister asked Miriam whether. she had mercy or not which is a wild. thing to ask she looked the minister in. the eye and said and where was L ke's. Mercy when he killed my daughter Miriam. got L ke's girlfriend arrested and now. the main one at large is the woman who. beat Karen for pleasure the rest have. been arrested or killed by the Marines. the top guy was arrested too L Larry was.

still on the run for a little bit yes. but she didn't have as much hatred for L. Larry for some reason I think L Larry. wasn't the one that wanted Karen killed. he just seems to be the one that's like. okay guys go kidnap people but she. really hates the girl that beat Karen. for no reason yeah cuz that's so. sadistic so they're left and Miriam. could do that maybe leisurely or hand. over her files to the police that's what. her kids are arguing have them hand it. fine closure Miriam promised her kids. she would stop when she laid her baby to.

rest authorities had found a few of. Karen's rib bones in the mass grave at. the ranch aelia and Louise thought this. is confirmation that's putting Karen to. rest or at least the parts left of Karen. right is it not Miriam's friends and. family thought isn't this enough can't. she stop now when does Revenge stop. being about Justice and start becoming. all. consuming when does Revenge start doing. doing more harm than good one day a. woman walks into Miriam's store do you.

run the vanishing Collective uh yes I do. my sister. Margarita the raven-haired. kidnapper remember her the raven-haired. kidnapper that led them to the ranch. that was killed by the Marines all. because of Miriam's tip her sister walks. in um my sister was killed by the. Mexican Marines and they told me that I. can't file a complaint related to her. death but I would like to I just don't. know how could you help way it made.

Miriam sick to think of victimizer would. be next to a list of victims but. Margarita was dead and Miriam thought. maybe her family were also victims of. the cels they did in a sense lose their. sister to the cartels Margarita became a. mom at 16 continued to have babies with. other men and she she couldn't really. find footing in her life there wasn't a. lot of opportun unities for her and when. she came across a member of the Zetas. who was offering her money and not.

stability but some Financial stability. she took it and her whole family told. her it's him or it's us because her dad. is a pastor Margarita and her new. boyfriend from the Zetas Tred to. convince her dad no it's love it's love. look he's even going to give you cash. for a car he throws the cash back at. them and said I don't want your blood. Money get out of here to Margarita's dad. she was no longer his daughter and the. more time that she spent with these. people the more she was becoming like.

them and the family just felt like they. lost Margarita Margarita's family. eventually enrolled in the state system. for victims with Miriam's help to. receive compensation at the burial for. Karen's Bones the few that were found at. least iselia asked her mom when is this. going to end when is what going to end. this this all of this Miriam flips open. the coffin lid pulls out a bag of bones. this is what I have left of my daughter. you think I'm going to stop now how long.

was she on the hunt 2 and a half years. they warned her she had to stop before. it was too late it was going to consume. her March 22nd 2017 3 years after Karen. goes missing and was killed 29 inmates. dig their way out of the prison they dig. tunnels and dig their way to Freedom 29. killers are now free and many of them. are Zetas and many of them are the ones. that Miriam had put in prison Miriam is.

rightfully terrified they're going to. come after her she can feel it but for. once everybody around her is a bit more. relaxed than she is they agree safety. needs to be at the highest right now. which technically the police are. required to protect her in situations. like this by law according to the. victim's laws but of course they don't. they don't even pick up her phone calls. honestly everybody had the same thought. process on this one Miriam at this point. you are way too big of an advocate the. Zetas are slow losing their power. they're not dumb enough to go and kill. mirriam the stir that it would cause on.

a national level because at this point. the Zetas were slowly losing power the. Mexican Government the president at the. time very aggressive very aggressive. about the war on. drugs so all the cartels were kind of. laying low cuz once you once you do. something big it becomes national news. everybody freaks out the president puts. the Target on that cartel's back they're. like all the forces after this cartel so. it wouldn't make sense for the Zetas to. kill Miriam right now because they would.

make national news and then people would. be like you got to do something then the. president would do something it would. just be more military guns pointed. directly at them and on top of that. these guys just got out of prison the. last thing they want to do is get back. into prison they want to disappear. commit crimes in secret it would be dumb. for them to come after Miriam but she's. terrified for the first time in her life. people said Miriam looked genuinely. scared for her own life prior to this. when she was traed ing everyone down. it's almost like she had this superhero. effect she did not believe that she was.

capable of dying that's what it felt. like a lot of people think it's because. she was getting closer to her revenge. she only had a few more people left and. I think as she was taking these people. down I think that she was getting. closure slowly I think in the beginning. she didn't have the fear of dying. because she was so consumed by Vengeance. nothing mattered but now it's she's. almost there en closure like she's about. to be free she's about to move on yes no.

don't tell me L Kik the one that pulled. the Rope um was out he he dug out of the. tunnel she told her kids I can only hope. if those bastards come after me they. give me a chance to shoot back May 10th. 2017 aelia had plans to meet with her. mom for coffee and cake later in the. evening but when she didn't show up her. dad starts calling iselia doesn't like.

it when her dad starts calling iselia. just had this feeling in her gut. something is very very wrong and she. picks up the phone your mother has been. shot Miriam had been getting out of her. car in front of her ex-husband's house. she had her back turned towards the. street walking towards his house when a. car drove by and fired multiple rounds. into her body they fired 13 rounds. Miriam was hit eight times Louise found. her with her hand in her purse reaching.

for her pistol Louise calls the kids and. both of them make it to the. hospital but it's too. late Miriam was dead killed the mother. who went after the cartel the mother who. would not stop at anything for justice. for her. baby was killed on Mother's Day Louise. Miriam's son didn't think about any sort. of inheritance when his mom died she. spent every last penny she had on.

hunting down the cartel members who. killed her baby if there was anything to. inherit it would have been debt but. thankfully it doesn't work that way. instead Louise got a surprise. inheritance at his mother's funeral. Louise was the one the son was the one. planning everything the funeral he was. slowly without plan just naturally. taking over his mother's Collective even. it was never that he wanted to do that. just the members started calling asking. him when the next meeting was and. knowing his mom she would have been so. angry at him if she found out that he. canceled it and let the collective fall. apart it was almost pushed onto him he.

inherited it by default but at the. funeral he inherits something a little. bit more something strange happens Louis. is grieving when this old childhood. friend of his comes up to him and. motions for him to come outside okay. clearly this could be a setup he could. walk out of the house and be shot too. but for some reason he really trusts. this childhood friend he walks out and. there's this car parked on on the side. of the road a criminal not a good person. he knows him for committing crimes I. don't think he's cartel but.

criminal he rolls down the window do you. know a guy named. aluche I've heard of him when you start. looking into what happened to your mom. you look into El luche then the truck. drives off nothing else was said a vague. tip who's El. luch exactly a vague tip that's going to. keep Louise up all night if if he. doesn't look into it that is how Louise. inherits his mom's.

Vengeance he would need to avenge his. mother's death first then finish his. sister's Revenge find the people who. killed his mom first then find the woman. who beat Karen for being too pretty. Louise didn't want to but he could feel. himself falling deeper into the. investigation every single day he was. becoming more and more like his mother. every single day talking to the same. Marines the same politicians the same. officers threatening them the same way. hunting down cartel members the same. same way that Miriam did learning how to. extract information from Witnesses just. like his mom and it made sense all that.

grief that he feels had to go somewhere. aelia she was married she had children. of her own Louise just had. grief he didn't have anybody he was. putting all of it focusing all of it on. getting. Vengeance so with Louise's help mainly. just like Miriam the authorities were. able to get aluche the man who was hired. by the Zetas to kill Miriam so at this. point when the Zetas they break out of. prison the higher ups of the Zetas are.

pissed at Miriam they think that she's. causing too much trouble even with the. collective it's preventing them from. getting Ransom when they kidnap people. every kidnapping is becoming a thing now. and they don't like it so they hire. another random Zeta to go kill her it's. actually not the same people that killed. Karen he was killed before the officers. could take him into custody and from. there it spiraled into hunting down the. C cartel members that were involved in. Miriam's hit none of them were involved. in Karen's death so two very separate.

groups and they genuinely just wanted. Miriam out the way she was just causing. too much trouble they take down El luche. they take down cheese foot who did the. transfer of funds that's his nickname. and another man named Al Hugo and then. finally through Louise's. investigations they take down the woman. that beat Karen right before the murder. h just he just found her yeah he was. able to track her down and get her. arrested but unlike his mother Louise is.

trying his best to stop now he wants to. focus on trying to get other victim's. families help rather than getting swept. up and tracking down more okay how many. people are semi involved in all of this. he just wants to protect what he has. left of a. family and that is the story of Miriam. the real life story of the Taken movie. as of right now it does appear that the. Zetas are still operating but not in the. way that they used to they fragmented.

off mainly into new groups the gulf. cartel seems to be a lot more fragmented. as well with celles operating. semi-independently almost like. franchisees of a drug restaurant it's. hard to estimate the current state of. the cartel's influence and operations. because there's so many different groups. the Zetas have also fragmented into CDN. zve which are acronyms for their new. groups but overall the Zetas have. diminished over the years and that does. not mean that the reign of terror is. over there seems to be a new even more.

violent cartel that has taken a lot of. the control in Mexico they're known as. the halisco new generation cartel or. cjng they are considered currently one. of the most powerful and most violent. groups in Mexico they were founded in. 2010 and as of right now their estimated. assets are worth over $20 billion. and just like the Zetas they are known. for extreme public violence they're.

responsible for a lot of. the decapitation there are some skinning. videos of cartel members skinning Rivals. face skin off and decapitating them um. some of them are decapitated and their. heads are used as basketballs and those. videos are uploaded onto the internet as. almost psychological warfare. there have been rumors that some of the. cartel members will participate in Acts.

of cannibalism again not because I think. that they're cannibals I don't think but. more so again for psychological warfare. as a fear tactic they're also very. paramilitary Vibes they use drones. strapped With Grenades to attack people. and um they're just wreaking. havoc so that is where we are with. today's. case what are your thoughts on this I I. don't think I've ever covered a case. where a mom went after her daughter's.

Killers with so much I mean I I feel. like she was a detective in a past life. or something and the crazy thing is AIA. and Louise said it's sad to watch their. mom go down this route but at the same. time they knew that she would do this. for all of them and they said not once. during her quest for Revenge did they. ever feel neglected if they had a. problem she would drop everything that. is the story of Miriam what are your.

thoughts please stay safe and I will see. you guys in the next one.