BajaNomad

El Monte School Board Member Killed in Mexico

Bomberro - 1-2-2010 at 06:44 AM

EL MONTE, Calif. -- A Southern California school board member was abducted and killed by gunmen while visiting family in Mexico for the holidays, his family said.

Augustin Roberto "Bobby" Salcedo, 33, was found dead Thursday in the northern state of Durango by Mexican authorities, his brother Carlos Salcedo said.

El Monte Mayor Andre Quintero called Salcedo "an absolute bright, shining star in our community."

Salcedo and his wife were out to dinner Wednesday with friends in the city of Gomez Palacio when gunmen stormed the restaurant and forced people to the floor.

Salcedo and five other men were abducted. All six were found shot dead Thursday, El Monte officials said. Salcedo's wife was not abducted.

"From all accounts right now, it sounds random," Carlos Salcedo told the Los Angeles Times. "There is no reason for my brother to be targeted."

Bobby Salcedo was re-elected in November to a second term on the board of the El Monte City School District.

He was also the assistant principal of instruction at El Monte High School and had been completing work on a doctorate in educational leadership at UCLA.

He and his wife, Betzy, a physician, had arrived in Gomez Palacio earlier this week. The city of 240,000 is her hometown.
(Copyright ©2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

ELINVESTIG8R - 1-2-2010 at 06:48 AM

This is a tragic story! I hope they catch the people responsible for this!

surebought - 1-2-2010 at 09:16 AM

This story will be all over the Los Angeles Times for a couple more days. Just when you think things are calming down a bit, it starts up again. The Mexican Newspapers have said that there have been 6500 drug related deaths since Fox became the first PAN Presidente(about 9 years). Isn't that more deaths than in Irag? We are begining to forget about tourism here in Ensenada.

Donjulio - 1-2-2010 at 09:26 AM

Surebought - we are the same way here in San Felipe. Even though we haven't been physically touched by the cartel violence up to this point, we have pretty much kissed tourism goodbye. It is down about 90%.

From a fishing village to a fishing village with tourism to a booming tourist town and then...nada. There are people literally walking away from their properties and just taking the loss.

With the government buying back the fishing licenses, a lot of the fisherman are now wondering whats next. With a whopping 65% unemployment we are now having to get real creative in our ways to sustain a community.

Doesn't matter where these murders and kidnappings take place or even how often. They are just lumped into "Mexico" and it continues the cycle. Ouch.

DENNIS - 1-2-2010 at 09:29 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by surebought
We are begining to forget about tourism here in Ensenada.


"Enjoy the ambiance of Mañanalandia while lounging on the white sandy beaches of Ensenada. Peace and tranquility keep a person young at heart and our fleet of ships will deliver you to your most carefree vacation imaginable.
Bienvenidos a Cielo."

http://ww2ky.moreheadstate.edu/images/Omaha_beach_low_tide.j...

arrowhead - 1-2-2010 at 12:18 PM

Who will be the first Nomad to tell us that Salcedo and his physician wife were really involved in the drug trade? After all, we have been reminded time and time again right here that only people involved in the drug trade get killed in Mexico.

:rolleyes:

DENNIS - 1-2-2010 at 12:22 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by arrowhead
Who will be the first Nomad to tell us that Salcedo and his physician wife were really involved in the drug trade?


Well, I will if it'll make you feel better but, I really don't think he was.

Accomodating responses are one of my New Year's resolutions. :biggrin:

Durango, Baja?

Bajahowodd - 1-2-2010 at 01:27 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by surebought
This story will be all over the Los Angeles Times for a couple more days. Just when you think things are calming down a bit, it starts up again. The Mexican Newspapers have said that there have been 6500 drug related deaths since Fox became the first PAN Presidente(about 9 years). Isn't that more deaths than in Irag? We are begining to forget about tourism here in Ensenada.


The tourism thing, while reflecting a worldwide downturn, is not uniform. Latest stats I've seen is that Los Cabos hotel occupancy rate is running around 75%. According to what I've read, they were able to keep it from plummeting by offering deep discounts, which actually greatly increased the percentage of domestic vacationers. On the other hand, in a place where there are no drug cartels, the language English, no passport requirement, and the currency the dollar, hotel occupancy rate for the Big Island of Hawaii sank to 40% in November, with the full year rate at 54%.

The Gull - 1-2-2010 at 01:30 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by arrowhead
After all, we have been reminded time and time again right here that only people involved in the drug trade get killed in Mexico.


Nancy, do you need a refresher on the obvious?

JESSE - 1-2-2010 at 01:38 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by arrowhead
Who will be the first Nomad to tell us that Salcedo and his physician wife were really involved in the drug trade? After all, we have been reminded time and time again right here that only people involved in the drug trade get killed in Mexico.

:rolleyes:


Most are, not all, but most are, and thats a fact.

Bajahowodd - 1-2-2010 at 01:44 PM

Salcedo was US born. However, the wife was a native born citizen of Mexico. Technically, calling her a physician would depend on perspective. She was a physician in Mexico, but was not licensed to practice in the US. It is said that she was working on getting her license. Mr. Salcedo, by all local accounts was about as squeeky clean as one could be. It may be that there was a connection to the drug thing within her family or the circle of family friends.. Or, maybe it was random.