American Tourist Brutally Stabbed to Death in Mexico, Family Accuses Officials of a Cover-Up
A 27-year-old California man visiting the Mexican beach resort town of Playa del Carmen was found stabbed to death in a park, and his family wants answers.
Taylor Meyer, a graduate of the University of Colorado, was gone only two days on a trip with friends when his parents were notified Friday that he had been killed, according to KDVR-TV in Denver.
Meyer’s parents believe Mexican authorities aren’t telling them the truth about who killed their son, and they’re asking the FBI to investigate his death.
They told KDVR they don’t believe it was another tourist who killed Taylor, as they were informed, but rather a local. Meyer’s parents said misinformation is being spread in an attempt to cause less harm to the tourism industry.
“We don’t want this to happen to another family,” Taylor’s father, Kris, told KDVR.
Meyer flew to the resort in a group of about 14 people to celebrate the 30th birthday of a friend. According to police, he was partying in the park with three other people when an altercation broke out and he was stabbed to death, the local outlet Riviera Maya News reported.
The report said one of the three people was responsible for the stabbing.
However, Meyer’s family believes he was killed in a robbery.
PLEASE SHARE! This is my cousin Taylor Meyer, he was brutally stabbed to death just because someone wanted his shoes, wallet, and some pocket change while on vacation in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. My family wishes to warn others about traveling to Mexico. I love you! ❤️ pic.twitter.com/eh1HtMfaSa
— Jordan Flye (@jordanflye) November 12, 2018
“This was a random act of violence,” cousin Tracy Goetz said, according to KCRG-TV. “They stole his shoes and his wallet.”
She said Mexican authorities have given the family very few answers to their questions.
“I’m still just numb from it. I just don’t understand it,” Goetz said.
On Monday, Riviera Maya News reported a local man had been arrested in the killing. It identified him only as “Hilario N, who goes by the street name El Chemo.” Authorities have yet to confirm the information.
Goetz said she was concerned the killer or killers might not be brought to justice because authorities are worried it would scare off other tourists.
“They don’t want people to know that there are murders happening like this because then people are not going to go there,” she told KCRG. “It needs to be known that it’s not a safe place to go. It’s not OK to go, and the Mexican officials need to fess up to it.”
In August, the State Department updated its Mexico travel advisory to urge tourists to “exercise increased caution” in response to an increase in violent crime there.
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