Ricardo Almanza Morales
Ricardo Almanza Morales | |
|---|---|
| Died | |
Cause of death | Killed in a shootout with the Mexican Navy |
| Other name | El Gori 1 |
| Occupation | Lieutenant of Los Zetas |
| Employer | Los Zetas |
| Relatives | Raymundo Almanza Morales (brother) |
Ricardo Almanza Morales (died 4 December 2009), known as El Gori 1, was a Mexican drug trafficker and senior lieutenant of the Los Zetas criminal organization.
Criminal activities
Morales operated primarily in the state of Nuevo León and was identified by the Mexican Navy as a key Los Zetas leader in the region. Authorities named him as the main suspect in the assassination of retired Army General Juan Arturo Esparza García on 4 November 2009.[1] His activities were linked to a surge in cartel violence in Nuevo León during 2009.[2]
Death
On 4 December 2009, Mexican Navy forces carried out an operation at a property known as La Concordia on the border between Monterrey and Juárez.[2] A prolonged shootout resulted in the deaths of Almanza Morales and seven other alleged gunmen. Authorities arrested nine individuals and seized 24 firearms, including a gold-plated rifle reportedly engraved with his initials.[1][3] The confrontation spread into nearby streets, causing civilian casualties.[2] Later the same day, armed gunmen attacked a federal detention center in Escobedo, freeing detainees, including a suspected successor.[2]
Family
Almanza Morales belonged to a family with multiple high-ranking members in organized crime. Several of his brothers were linked to Los Zetas and the Gulf Cartel:[4]
- Octavio Almanza Morales (El Gori 4), a former soldier and Los Zetas leader in Cancún, arrested in February 2009.
- Raymundo Almanza Morales (El Gori III) and Eduardo Almanza Morales (El Gori II), both listed among Mexico’s most-wanted drug traffickers.
Reports of individuals with similar names in the United States and Mexico have no confirmed connection to Almanza Morales.[5][6]
See also
References
- 1 2 "Confirman muerte de peligroso sicario apodado 'El Gori 1' en Nuevo León". Periódico Zócalo. 5 December 2009.
- 1 2 3 4 "Nuevo León: Descoordinación criminal". Proceso. 13 December 2009.
- ↑ "Trafficker, 12 others die in Mexico battles". The Washington Post. Associated Press. 6 December 2009.
- ↑ Castillo, Gustavo; Aranda, Jesús (12 February 2009). "Detienen a líder de Los Zetas acusado de ordenar la muerte de un general en Cancún". La Jornada.
- ↑ "Ricardo Almanza Arcos Obituary". The Denver Post. 8 March 2006.
- ↑ "KARLA Lobato, Ricardo Almanza y Marcela Luévanos, apoyando a los Guerreros del Santos Laguna". El Siglo de Torreón. 6 September 2012.