Yuriana Castillo Torres is a notable individual who gained significant attention due to her involvement in criminal activities. She was a key figure in the world of Mexican organized crime, specifically associated with the Los Zetas cartel. Torres was born on November 3, 1986, in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. She became known as a high-ranking member within the criminal organization, playing a prominent role in their operations.
As a female member of the Los Zetas cartel, Yuriana Castillo Torres gained notoriety for her involvement in various illegal activities, including drug trafficking, extortion, kidnapping, and acts of violence. She was considered a powerful and influential figure within the organization, known for her strategic thinking and ruthless demeanor.
Torres was particularly recognized for her role in the trafficking of drugs, primarily focusing on cocaine and marijuana. Her involvement in the illicit drug trade allowed her to amass substantial wealth and power within the criminal underworld. She operated across the Mexico-United States border, utilizing her connections and resources to establish an extensive network of criminal operations.
How Yuriana Castillo Torres was killed
Yuriana Castillo Torres, who was romantically involved with El Chino Ántrax, was abducted by armed individuals while leaving a gym in Culiacán, Sinaloa, on May 6, 2014.
Witnesses at the scene recounted that several men forcibly took Yuriana Castillo Torres in a truck, leaving behind only one of her purple sports shoes. Notably, Yuriana Castillo Torres had family ties to Javier Torres, also known as El JT, and Manuel Torres, also known as El Ondeado, who were both prominent leaders within the Sinaloa cartel.
According to witnesses, a truck reversed down Paseo de las Palmas boulevard in the Guadalupe neighborhood, specifically between Juan Aldama and Río Tabalá. The vehicle came to a stop in front of an empty lot, where two men were seen dropping a bundle wrapped in white sheets. Onlookers in the area initially believed it was littering.
Yuriana Castillo Torres, who was well-known in the “buchona show business,” had an unfortunate fate. She was abducted, killed, and later discovered by Mexican law enforcement the following day. Her lifeless body was found in a vacant lot in the Lomas de Guadalupe neighborhood in Culiacán. Her identity was confirmed by her family members at the forensic facilities. Autopsy reports revealed that Castillo Torres had suffered from suffocation due to hanging, as well as various head injuries. Her hands and legs were found bound with an electric cable.
When Yuriana Castillo Torres’ body was found, it was wrapped in white sheets and secured with electrical cables in a vacant lot behind a preparatory school of the Autonomous University of Sinaloa. No firearm-related evidence was discovered at the scene.
During the wake held at the funeral home, members of Los Ántrax, the armed wing of the Sinaloa cartel, allegedly paid their respects by leaving a floral tribute in her honor.
Yuriana Castillo Torres’ romantic partner, Rodrigo Aréchiga, held a prominent position as one of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada’s trusted associates. He was responsible for leading Los Ántrax, an armed faction within the Sinaloa cartel.
How Aréchiga Rodrigo Gamboa was arrested
In 2012, internal conflicts between various cartel groups intensified, resulting in an increasing number of casualties among hitmen. As El Chino Ántrax had already attracted the attention of U.S. authorities, it became crucial to remove him from the scene to ensure his safety.
On January 3, 2014, the Netherlands Ministry of Security and Justice and the Mexican Embassy confirmed the arrest of a 33-year-old Mexican citizen at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in the Netherlands. The arrest took place on December 30, 2013, as he arrived from Latin America using a false name. Initially, the authorities did not disclose the detainee’s identity, but anonymous sources, including a U.S. federal agent and Mexican local newspapers, leaked information confirming that the man was indeed José Rodrigo Aréchiga Gamboa.
The U.S. government officially confirmed the arrest of the drug lord later that day. Aréchiga Gamboa was apprehended under the alias of Norberto Sicairos García. At the time of his arrest, he was found in possession of an iPhone 5, a Blackberry Bold, three airplane tickets, credit cards from Banamex (Visa and MasterCard), and a Mexican driver’s license.
Following his arrest, Aréchiga Gamboa was transferred to the Vught maximum-security prison. Despite using a false identity, altering his appearance through plastic surgery, and modifying his fingerprints, U.S. law enforcement successfully identified him through undisclosed forensic methods.
Yuriana Castillo Torres’ partner, Aréchiga Gamboa, was eventually extradited to the United States, where he faced charges related to cocaine and marijuana trafficking. On March 20, 2015, he pleaded guilty and admitted his involvement in the transportation of drugs from Mexico to the U.S., as well as his facilitation of violent activities on behalf of the Sinaloa Cartel.
After spending six years in U.S. custody, Yuriana Castillo Torres’ partner, Aréchiga Gamboa, received a sentence of seven years and three months in a federal prison. He was released on March 3, 2020, and placed under house arrest. However, on May 9, he was reported missing by his probation officer.
How Aréchiga Rodrigo Gamboa was murdered
During the night of May 14, 2020, Aréchiga Gamboa, his sister, and her husband were confronted by a hit squad associated with the Sinaloa Cartel at their residence. A fierce gunfight ensued, with Aréchiga Gamboa defending himself using an automatic assault rifle. The exchange of fire lasted until dawn, and when they ran out of ammunition, they surrendered and were taken hostage by the armed assailants.
The following day, police in Ayune, Sinaloa, discovered a black SUV containing three deceased individuals. One of the bodies was identified as José Rodrigo Aréchiga Gamboa, who had been shot and wrapped in cloth, with his head covered by a black plastic bag. The other two bodies were identified as his sister and her husband. It was later reported that the senior leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel likely ordered the murder of Aréchiga Gamboa.