"El 51" is Captured, Linked to Seven Murders in Colima

“Sol Prendido” for Borderland Beat 

In Colima, the alleged perpetrator of the double homicide of a bakery owner and his brother—proprietors of the *El Pichón* bakery—was arrested; the crime took place on April 14 in the state capital. The detainee has been identified as José Antonio N., alias “El 51.” 

Investigations link him not only to the murder of the bakers but also to at least seven other killings committed over the past two weeks—including the murder of three siblings in the capital’s Alvarrada neighborhood, as well as that of a state police officer on January 2, 2026. 

Colima’s Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection, Ricardo Gómez, reported that the detainee was a member of a criminal cell belonging to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), specifically the cell known as “Cobra.” 

“So, we’re talking about a hitman who executed seven people in just two weeks; this highlights the magnitude of the violence generators relative to the population of a given state, doesn’t it? A single individual takes seven lives in two weeks.” 

During the same press conference, security authorities disclosed details regarding the operational methods of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel’s criminal cells within the state. 

“They are organized into blocks of six operatives; notably, every participant or member within these groups is an outsider. If there are young people from Jalisco operating in Colima, it’s highly probable that there are young people from Colima operating in Jalisco. Furthermore, they may operate in Michoacán one day, in Colima the next, and back in Jalisco the day after that.” 

The official noted that the members of these cells are not natives of Colima but rather hail from other states across the country. This strategy, he explained, aims to prevent them from being recognized by the local population. Given this operational logic, authorities do not rule out the possibility that individuals recruited within Colima may currently be operating in other states. 

“The criminals extract themselves—or flee—from urban areas into rural zones in order to go into hiding. They engage in a practice known as ‘locking down,’ ‘cooling off,’ or ‘lying low’ inside safe houses, allowing them to eventually escape or make their exit.” 

Upon committing a homicide, the alleged perpetrators take refuge in safe houses and subsequently plot their escape via dirt roads located in the city’s outskirts, which complicates their immediate detection. 

During his remarks, the Secretary delivered a message directed at young people who might be vulnerable to recruitment by organized crime. In reality—and young people need to understand this—the lifespan of a hitman is extremely brief. They’re exploited by these criminals, exploited by these criminal groups, used, and then discarded like trash.

Source: Uno Tv

Source: https://www.borderlandbeat.com/2026/04/el-51-is-captured-linked-to-seven.html