Miguel Angel Villagómez Valle

Personal Miguel Angel Villagómez Valle was a native of the Mexican State of Guerrero. He moved to the coastal city Lázaro Cárdenas, Michoacán in 1998. At the time of his death he lived in the city of Zihuatanejo with wife, Irania Iveth Leyva Faustino and their three children. He founded and published his own newspaper, La Noticia de Michoacán, in 2004. Villagómez worked as the editor and publisher of La Noticia de Michoacán

Death In the weeks leading up to his death, Miguel Angel Villagómez Valle received a threatening call from a man who claimed to be a part of the Los Zetas, a militant group of former soldiers who works for the cartel. He warned his family of the threats and asked them to be alert. On the night of October 9, 2008, Miguel Angel Villagómez Valle was kidnapped on his way home from work after he took two colleagues home. His body also had the coup de grâce.

Context Playa Troncones (beach) located in the municipality of La Unión de Isidoro Montes de Oca, GuerreroMichoacán is one of the most violent states in Mexico with confrontation between the cartels, the Los Zetas and La Familia. It is not uncommon for journalists to disappear, be abducted or murdered. Miguel Angel Villagómez Valle was the seventh journalist killed in Mexico in 2008.

Reactions The murder of Miguel Angel Villagómez Valle was condemned by the IAPA (Inter American Press Association) on 10 October 2008. The organization urged authorities to find who planned and carried out the crime. Soon after his death Mexico's Human Rights Commission appealed for the murders of journalists to be thoroughly investigated and called for an end to the impunity. His name was added to the Newseum modern wall in Washington, D.C.