Details revealed on Temoac mayor's murder; attackers fled on motorcycle

Temoac's municipal president, Valentín Lavín Romero, was killed by three gunshots, one to the head, one to the back, and one to the arm. All shots entered from the back, suggesting the mayor attempted to evade the attack inside his office, according to a preliminary report. Unofficial information indicates the assailants used a .380 caliber weapon and fled the municipal palace on a small motorcycle after the crime. Both attackers wore helmets, and their faces were not identified.

The mayor's body was returned to his family Wednesday night following forensic examinations and autopsy. The investigation is analyzing the trajectory of the bullets and the damage to his body that caused his death. The murder of Lavín Romero, a member of the PVEM party, has drawn criticism regarding the lack of escorts for his protection, especially after threats he received via banners from organized crime groups.

State authorities specified that in January, during an armed attack while he was traveling with his wife, Lavín Romero himself had ordered his bodyguards to take the day off. In that previous incident, two armed individuals shot at his vehicle on the Mexico-Oaxaca federal highway. The mayor was injured and subsequently took a leave of absence for surgery, returning to his post 30 days later.

Following the January attack, the Public Ministry requested permanent police surveillance and custody for the mayor from the Temoac Municipal Police on February 3. The following day, the ministerial authority requested fixed surveillance at his home for 30 days from the Morelos Secretariat of Public Security and Citizen Protection. This surveillance was extended for another 30 days in March. Therefore, permanent police supervision and custody were the responsibility of his Municipal Police until his final days, according to a judicial report.

In response to the assassination, the Secretary of Government of Morelos, Édgar Maldonado Ceballos, announced that the State Coordination Board for the Construction of Peace and Security has declared itself in permanent session to reinforce security measures, maintain institutional coordination, and preserve governability in the municipality. The 24th Military Zone is also monitoring the situation and has increased operational efforts in the region. The State Attorney General's Office reported that a search was conducted at the Temoac Municipal Palace, where the mayor was killed, to gather more evidence for the investigation.