Mexican authorities have arrested Ramón Ángel Álvarez Ayala, identified as the leader of Los Rs, a criminal cell linked to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). Officials allege Álvarez Ayala ordered and financed the November 2025 assassination of Uruapan Mayor Carlos Manzo and is connected to the May 2025 killing of beauty influencer Valeria Márquez.
Mexican Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch announced details of the investigation, stating that Álvarez Ayala, also known as "El R-1," is considered the main leader of Los Rs, which operates in Michoacán and Jalisco. The organization is involved in extortion, murders, and drug trafficking.
Valeria Márquez, a TikTok creator with over 100,000 followers, was shot and killed while livestreaming from her beauty salon in Zapopan, Jalisco. Authorities linked the killing to Álvarez Ayala's son, Francisco, Márquez's former partner, who had allegedly threatened her on multiple occasions after their relationship ended. García Harfuch indicated that Francisco asked his father to carry out the murder.
Álvarez Ayala is also accused of financing and orchestrating the assassination of Uruapan Mayor Carlos Manzo. Manzo had been a vocal critic of organized crime and had worked to address corruption within the local police force. He was shot and killed during Day of the Dead celebrations in November 2025.
Authorities have arrested 31 individuals in connection with Manzo's killing. Álvarez Ayala has been taken into custody and is being held at the Altiplano maximum-security prison as federal prosecutors pursue charges. Francisco remains at large, and Jalisco authorities have arrested another man in connection with Márquez's murder. Investigations into both cases are ongoing.
The U.S. Treasury Department has previously described the CJNG as one of the world's most powerful cartels and has imposed sanctions on over 50 individuals and entities linked to the organization.