Map shows where 3 women's bodies were found as serial killer fears grow in tourist hotspot
Topics: Crime, Mexico, World News, US News, Travel
Mia Williams
Featured Image Credit: Alfredo ESTRELLA / AFP via Getty Images
Topics: Crime, Mexico, World News, US News, Travel
A chilling map shows where the bodies of three women were found in a tourist hotspot in Mexico within 11 days of each other, as concerns grow that there is a serial killer.
Three women have been found dead in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, a hotspot thought to be visited by two million Americans every year, within less than two weeks of each other.
The first victim was discovered on May 10 near Rancho El Pirulí, but just five days later, police discovered another woman’s body on the roadside near the highway to Mismaloya.
And the most recent victim was discovered last week (May 14), on a dirt track near the Parque Las Palmas neighborhood of Puerto Vallarta.
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Police have quickly grown suspicious of the circumstances surrounding their deaths, comparing the nature of the most recent to the two other cases that are already under investigation.
The three women, who are reported to be in their early to mid 30s, were allegedly found partially naked and are yet to be identified.
But the similarity of circumstances has sparked fears among locals and tourists that there is a serial killer who is responsible for their deaths.
Prosecutors have since launched an investigation, revealing 'the preliminary information does not indicate that they are linked', according to Mexican outlet Reporte Diario.
And while the investigation remains in its early phases, police are also looking into the possibility that the women were murdered in a different location, and were later transported to Puerto Vallarta.
Officers are working around the clock to review the surveillance footage in the region, forensic evidence, and police reports to determine whether the killings are connected.
Mario Braga, a security expert in Latin America, spoke to the Daily Mail about advice for those in the travel destination of Puerto Vallarta.
"I think the best advice is, of course, to monitor how the situation evolves," he told the outlet.
"It can quickly change and there can be triggers that lead to an escalation of violence."
The expert added: "If you are in a different country, it's important to understand the kind of local dynamics that may help mitigate these security risks."
But following the recent events, the US has updated its guidance for traveling to the popular destination.
A State Department spokesperson told Newsweek that the State of Jalisco - which includes Puerto Vallarta - is currently at a Level 3, meaning American citizens are asked to 'reconsider travel due to terrorism, crime, and kidnapping'.