Authorities in Colima say they killed three suspects in a gunfight after a pre-dawn shooting that killed two female relatives of Mexico's Secretary of Public Education, Mario Delgado. Delgado identified the victims as his aunt Eugenia and his cousin Sheila. Investigators recovered weapons and clothing they say link the suspects to the attack; the motive remains unknown and the probe is ongoing. Colima has one of Mexico's highest homicide rates, and the killings come amid wider debate over cartel violence and government security efforts.
Three Suspects Killed After Two Relatives Of Mexico's Education Secretary Shot Dead In Colima
Mario Delgado, Mexico's Secretary of Public Education, accompanies Claudia Sheinbaum, President of Mexico, during a press conference at the National Palace in Mexico City, Mexico, on January 3, 2026. / Credit: Gerardo Vieyra/NurPhoto via Getty Images(Gerardo Vieyra/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Authorities in Colima, a violence-plagued state on Mexico's Pacific coast, say they killed three people they believe were involved in the early-morning shooting that left two relatives of Mexico's Secretary of Public Education dead.
The prosecutor's office said the women were shot at about 4:30 a.m. local time (10:30 GMT) on Saturday. Secretary Mario Delgado later identified the victims on X as his aunt, Eugenia Delgado, and his cousin, Sheila.
Officials tracked a vehicle linked to the shooting to a home in Colima on Saturday afternoon. The prosecutor's office says a gunfight erupted there and three suspects were killed. Investigators reported recovering weapons and clothing at the residence that they say are linked to the double homicide.
"Deep shock, outrage, and sorrow over the events that occurred this morning in Colima, where my aunt Eugenia Delgado and my cousin Sheila were brutally murdered in their home," Delgado wrote on X. "Throughout my entire childhood, my aunt Queña — as we affectionately called her — made my birthday cake every year... She is now with my grandparents and with my father, her beloved brother."
The authorities have not disclosed a motive for the attack and did not say whether they are seeking additional suspects. The investigation is ongoing.
Colima has repeatedly ranked among Mexico's most violent states. The U.S. State Department says Colima recorded the country's highest homicide rate in both 2023 and 2024.
Delgado was appointed Secretary of Public Education by President Claudia Sheinbaum in 2024 and previously served as national president of the ruling Morena party. In recent weeks, Sheinbaum has publicly defended her administration's efforts to crack down on cartels and curb migration, saying they were producing "compelling results" — comments that followed public threats by former U.S. President Donald Trump of increased action against Mexican drug cartels.
Authorities said they will release further details as the investigation continues.
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