Tucson (AZ), March 3 Authorities in Arizona reported Thursday the arrest of a suspect involved in the murder of three Mexican migrants whose bodies were found in a vacant lot in Phoenix. The suspect was identified as Juan Vargas, 21 years old. According to his arrest record, the man could face three counts of homicide, two counts of kidnapping and one count of assault. The Phoenix Police Department said that at this time it cannot reveal more information about the role that Vargas may have had in the deaths of the three Oaxacans. On February 20, the lifeless bodies of Herminio Pérez Ramírez, 28 years old; Isauro Martínez Domínguez, 21, and Abimael Jiménez Morelos, 16, were found in the Estrella Village neighborhood of Phoenix. Authorities reported that the bodies showed “obvious signs of trauma.” The case has caused a stir on both sides of the border. Even the president of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, indicated that the Mexican government has demanded a thorough investigation to rule out that the migrants have been tortured and murdered by United States authorities. The police department told Efe that it is carrying out an intense investigation in this case and that several people have been questioned about it. There is still no date for Vargas, who is being held in a Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) jail, to appear in court. Activists have flooded social media calling for justice and for the case to be thoroughly investigated. Relatives of the deceased are currently raising funds to move the bodies back to Mexico. EFE ml/msc
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