NEED TO KNOW
Authorities said a musician with the initials “J.S.M.O.,” his 35-year-old pregnant wife and their daughter have been killed, along with a 21-year-old woman
Reports have named Jonathan Samuel Meléndez Ochoa, his wife, Ana Paula, and their 3-year-old as the victims, with one report saying their nanny was also killed
Two suspects, Diego Sebastián “N” and Gerardo “N,” have since been arrested, according to the prosecutor’s office
A musician, his pregnant wife, his young daughter and a woman believed to be their nanny were killed in a shooting in Mexico.
On Tuesday, Sept. 1, at around 11:50 p.m. local time, the Atizapán de Zaragoza police reported finding four bodies inside a residential tower in the Zona Esmeralda area of Greater Mexico City, according to the State of Mexico Prosecutor’s Office’s statement posted on X.
The victims, who were not formally identified by the prosecutor’s office, included a 38-year-old male, who they said was a “music producer and composer with initials J.S.M.O.” and his 35-year-old wife, who was four months pregnant.
Their 3-year-old daughter, a 21-year-old woman and the family’s dog were also found dead in the home.
Jonathan Meléndez at a press conference in Mexico City on May 8, 2024
Credit: Adrián Monroy/Medios y Media/Getty
“Two of the victims were found bound, both along with the minor showing gunshot wounds to the head, while the fourth victim had a gunshot wound to the back,” the prosecutor’s office said, per the statement translated from Spanish.
Officers also found a 6-year-old boy who was alive and unharmed, the office said.
Investigators believe the incident took place between 5:30 p.m. and 7:40 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 1.
Two men, Diego Sebastián “N” and Gerardo “N,” have since been arrested by authorities in relation to the case.
From left: Diego Sebastián “N” and Gerardo “N”
Credit: Attorney General’s Office of the State of Mexico
“The investigation established that one of the detainees was a business partner of one of the victims,” Omar García Harfuch, the Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection of the Government of Mexico, said in a statement posted on Facebook.
“He allegedly took advantage of this relationship of trust to gain entry to the residence,” he added.
Harfuch said the two suspects were located and arrested in less than 12 hours. He added that they were in custody.
Several reports have named musician Jonathan Meléndez, from the indie rock band Camilo Séptimo, his wife, Ana Paula, 35, and their daughter as the victims of the crime, according to CNN, Mexican outlet Merca 2.0 and Billboard.
The 21-year-old victim is believed to have been the family’s nanny, Aleida Romero Victorio, CNN reported, citing comments from the woman’s family.
PEOPLE has reached out to the State of Mexico Prosecutor’s Office to confirm the identities of the victims.
Camilo Séptimo has since paid tribute to Meléndez on Instagram. “With deep sorrow we say goodbye to our dear brother, Jonathan Samuel Meléndez Ochoa. To his wife, Ana Paula and his daughter, Sofía. They will live forever in our hearts,” the group wrote, per the caption translated from Spanish.
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“We will always remember him with immense love and gratitude,” they continued. “Today we honour and celebrate his life, his music, his light and what we shared with those of us who were lucky enough to know him and make his way with him.”
The band also said they valued the “effort and professional work” of the Prosecutor’s Office of the State of Mexico “in clarifying the facts.”
“In memory of Honas, his wife Ana Paula, and his beloved daughter, who will live forever in our hearts,” the group concluded.
The State of Mexico Prosecutor’s Office and Omar García Harfuch did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for further information.
Read the original article on People