Popular Mexican musician Ernesto Barajas, the founder of the band Enigma Norteño, was reportedly fatally shot in Mexico's Guadalajara Tuesday. Reports of the musician's death first surfaced on social media, and it was followed by several Mexican news outlets carrying the news. A photo of Barajas after the alleged murder also surfaced on social media.
According to a report by the Mexican news outlet Infobae, Barajas was killed in the Arenales Tapatíos neighborhood of Zapopan. He was with a woman when two individuals came on a motorcycle and fatally shot both of them. Officials are yet to provide an update in Barajas' death. He was 38.
According to Jaqueline Martinez, who runs an LA-based Instagram account sharing news and updates on the Spanish-language entertainment community, Barajas was murdered to allegedly "settle scores."
Martinez said on her Instagram account, @chamonic3, that Barajas previously used live in Culiacan, Mexico. The area is known for rampant gang activities and several celebrities living there had been warned by gangs, leading to them moving out to Guadalajara. Barajas was also reportedly one of those who moved out of the city.
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{{/usCountry}}Barajas, best known for founding the regional Mexican band Enigma Norteño in 2004, was known for his links to the drug cartels in Mexico. He famously developed narcocorridos—a controversial musical genre that often portrays cartel figures and their actions.
He has openly discussed writing personalized narcocorridos and revealed that he charged as much as $60,000 for one song. Some reports say that Barajas received threats from rival criminal groups. In fact, the CJNG (Jalisco New Generation Cartel) sent him a public warning in 2023.
Reports say that the Jalisco Attorney General’s Office has opened an investigation into the case. An official cause of the songwriter and singer's death is awaited.