Priest found dead in Mexico; 2 suspects arrested
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Father Ernesto Baltazar Hernández Vilchis. / Credit: Courtesy of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish/ScreenshotPuebla, Mexico, Nov 14, 2025 / 13:04 pm (CNA).The Catholic Church has confirmed the discovery of the body of Father Ernesto Baltazar Hernández Vilchis, a priest of the Diocese of Cuautitlán in Mexico who had been missing for more than two weeks.In a message, Bishop Efraín Mendoza Cruz of the Diocese of Cuautitlán expressed his gratitude "for the life and ministry of Father Ernesto, for his generous dedication to the Gospel, and for his pastoral service, which is a fruitful seed that will continue to bear fruit in the Church."He also urged the authorities to conduct investigations "that lead to the clarification of the facts of the case and to the justice that every human life deserves."The diocese also joined "the outcry of so many families suffering from violence and disappearances in our country, and we ask that this painful reality, which afflicts the lives of our communit...
Father Ernesto Baltazar Hernández Vilchis. / Credit: Courtesy of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish/Screenshot
Puebla, Mexico, Nov 14, 2025 / 13:04 pm (CNA).
The Catholic Church has confirmed the discovery of the body of Father Ernesto Baltazar Hernández Vilchis, a priest of the Diocese of Cuautitlán in Mexico who had been missing for more than two weeks.
In a message, Bishop Efraín Mendoza Cruz of the Diocese of Cuautitlán expressed his gratitude "for the life and ministry of Father Ernesto, for his generous dedication to the Gospel, and for his pastoral service, which is a fruitful seed that will continue to bear fruit in the Church."
He also urged the authorities to conduct investigations "that lead to the clarification of the facts of the case and to the justice that every human life deserves."
The diocese also joined "the outcry of so many families suffering from violence and disappearances in our country, and we ask that this painful reality, which afflicts the lives of our communities, be brought to an end."
Finally, the bishop called on the community to offer prayers for the priest's family, that they might find consolation, and he entrusted "to Christ, victor over death, the soul of Father Ernesto and the souls of all the faithful departed."
Suspected perpetrators arrested
In a statement released Nov. 13, the attorney general's office of Mexico state reported the arrest of a man and a woman for their possible involvement in the murder of Hernández. An arrest warrant has been issued for another woman, and her eventual arrest is expected.
According to the attorney general's office, the priest was attacked "with a sharp object," inflicting "wounds that led to his death."
The three alleged perpetrators identified by authorities "reportedly tried to obstruct the investigation by hiding the body in bags," which they tied to a piece of furniture and abandoned in a sewage canal.
The authorities stated that one of the suspects has a criminal record in Mexico state, where he served an 18-year prison sentence for robbery with the use of violence.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
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