Norberto Miranda Madrid

Radio Visión

September 23, 2009, in Nuevo Casas Grandes, Mexico

Around 11 p.m., at least two masked gunmen burst into the offices of Radio Visión and shot Miranda multiple times in the back of the neck, a spokesman for the state prosecutor’s office told CPJ. News reports said he died at the scene. Miranda’s brother, José, a Radio Visión staffer, was present but unharmed.

Miranda, 44, known as “El Gallito” (The Tough Guy), wrote the Web column “Cotorreando con el Gallito” and was a host for the online station Radio Visión. In his last columns, he criticized the lack of safety in Nuevo Casas Grandes and its surrounding areas. His final column detailed what he said was a string of 25 execution-style murders in the area. The journalist attributed the violence to the Juárez cartel, which was battling the Sinaloa cartel for control of Chihuahua state.

Miranda had also covered the capture of members of La Linea, an armed group associated with the Juárez cartel. The coverage led to threats against Miranda from sources affiliated with the cartel, local reporters told CPJ.

Medium: Internet

Job: Internet Reporter

Beats Covered: Corruption, Crime

Gender: Male

Local or Foreign: Local

Freelance: No

Type of Death: Murder

Suspected Source of Fire: Criminal Group

Impunity: Yes

Taken Captive: No

Tortured: No

Threatened: Yes