Chiapas prosecutor captures Joseph 'N', partner of murdered US woman; seven children rescued

Mexican authorities have arrested Joseph 'N', the partner of Makala Pendley, an American woman from Indianapolis, Indiana, who was found murdered in Zinacantán, Chiapas. The arrest occurred in San Cristóbal de las Casas.

During a search of a property in the Fátima neighborhood, seven minors, identified as the victim's children, were found safe and are now under the protection of the authorities. Efforts are underway to coordinate with the U.S. Embassy to facilitate their transfer to family members.

Joseph 'N' is considered the primary suspect in Pendley's feminicide. The state prosecutor general, Jorge Luis Llaven Abarca, stated that the suspect has a criminal record in Alaska, including charges for assault, robbery, fraud, and illegal weapons possession. He also faced an arrest warrant for child endangerment related to the seven minors and Pendley.

Prosecutors are seeking the maximum penalty of 100 years for the suspect. Investigations revealed Pendley died from a severe head trauma caused by a blunt instrument. In a separate incident, a 39-year-old mother, Brenda del Carmen, was found dead in her home in Tonalá, Chiapas, within 24 hours of Pendley's murder, prompting condemnation from local feminist groups regarding ongoing gender-based violence.