Culiacán, capital of Mexico’s state of Sinaloa, saw at least 20 people killed in a wave of cartel violence that left four decapitated bodies hanging from a highway bridge.
At a Glance
- Four decapitated bodies were found dangling from a bridge on June 30, 2025.
- Sixteen more victims—one decapitated—were discovered inside a white van on the same highway.
- A handwritten note from a cartel faction was left at the scene.
- Violence erupted between the Los Chapitos and La Mayiza factions of the Sinaloa Cartel.
- Schools and businesses in Culiacán suspended operations amid the bloodshed.
Shock and Carnage
According to an AP News report, the bodies of 20 men—six decapitated—were found in less than 24 hours in and around Culiacán, Sinaloa’s capital. Four lifeless bodies hung from a highway overpass while sixteen others, many riddled with gunshot wounds, lay crammed into a white van bearing a chilling warning note.
Local prosecutors confirmed the discovery and said the handwritten message signaled a direct threat in the ongoing turf war. The Reuters account adds that forensic teams also recovered a bag containing five severed heads, underscoring the brutal intensity of this latest massacre.
Faction Warfare Escalates
The surge in killings has been traced to an internecine conflict within the Sinaloa Cartel, pitting the breakaway Los Chapitos—sons of jailed boss “El Mayo” Zambada—against the rival La Mayiza faction. The feud intensified after a high-profile kidnapping in September 2024, and masked gunmen on motorcycles now patrol key neighborhoods, enforcing blockades and fueling fear among civilians.
Residents report that schools closed mid-morning and market vendors boarded up stalls to avoid stray bullets. A CBS News dispatch notes that this violence has turned Culiacán into an urban battleground, with daily shootouts and impromptu roadblocks disrupting life across the city.
State Response and Aftermath
Sinaloa government spokesperson Feliciano Castro condemned the killings and announced that “military and police forces are working together to reestablish total peace in Sinaloa,” as detailed in a CBS News briefing. Governor Rubén Rocha Moya has deployed a special task force to sweep cartel safehouses and inspect highways, while federal troops reinforce local precincts.
Human-rights groups warn that without sustained security reforms, Culiacán risks permanent fragmentation along cartel lines. Families of the victims are identifying loved ones through DNA tests, and local NGOs have set up emergency hotlines and shelters for displaced residents. As international observers call for a comprehensive crackdown on organized crime, Culiacán’s bloody streets stand as a stark testament to Mexico’s deepening cartel crisis.
