Chicago Couple Reported Missing Discovered Deceased Near Mexico City
WHO:
NY Post - Zafar Padamese Mawani and Guillermo Jafett Hidalgo Ortiz were the missing Chicago couple.
ABC News - Mawani was a 56-year-old U.S. citizen.
ABC News - Hidalgo Ortiz was also reported to be 56 years old.
WHAT:
NY Post - The couple had gone missing in May.
ABC News - Their bodies were found among a number of bodies discovered last week on the outskirts of Mexico City.
ABC News - Mexican authorities confirmed the deaths of Mawani and Hidalgo Ortiz.
ABC News - The federal government’s official missing-person bulletin reported that 977 people were reported missing in Mexico during May.
WHERE:
NY Post - The couple went missing south of Mexico City.
ABC News - The bodies were found in the mountains near Mexico City, approximately 50 kilometers (31 miles) east of La Marquesa National Park.
WHY:
ABC News - Authorities had been searching for the couple after making a number of arrests related to their case.
ABC News - Detainees provided information that led authorities to search for the bodies.
HOW:
ABC News - The search for the couple involved cooperation between investigators on the ground, family members, and authorities in both the U.S. and Mexico.
ABC News - Relatives’ groups have staged protests demanding more resources for searches, which are often led by family members.
(UPDATED June 25, 2026 13:46 UTC)
Authorities have confirmed the deaths of Zafar Padamese Mawani and Guillermo Jafett Hidalgo Ortiz, a Chicago couple who went missing in May, with their bodies discovered among several others on the outskirts of Mexico City. The couple, both 56 years old, were found in the mountains approximately 50 kilometers east of La Marquesa National Park, following a search that involved cooperation between investigators, family members, and authorities from both the U.S. and Mexico. This tragic case is part of a larger issue, as the federal government reported that 977 people were reported missing in Mexico during May, prompting relatives' groups to stage protests for more resources in search efforts.