September 11, 2024 • 43 mins
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Could a seemingly innocent spring break trip turn into a nightmarish brush with a deadly cult? Join us as we unravel the spine-chilling story of Mark James Kilroy, a promising college student whose vacation turned into a gruesome tragedy. We journey through the exuberant escapades of Kilroy and his friends as they traverse from Texas A&M University to South Padre Island, capturing the carefree joy before their ill-fated detour to Matamoros, Mexico. Amidst the chaotic spring break festivities, Kilroy's sudden disappearance marks the beginning of a harrowing tale of abduction and ritualistic murder that will leave you questioning the darker underbelly of seemingly innocuous spring break trips.
As the episode progresses, we delve into the horrific details of Kilroy's captivity and brutal murder at the hands of Adolfo Constanzo and his cult, uncovering the grim discovery of multiple victims' bodies and the intense police investigation that followed. Hear the heart-wrenching accounts from Kilroy's family, their advocacy for drug education, and their remarkable resilience in the face of unspeakable loss. We explore the convoluted legal battles, the claims of innocence from cult members, and the broader implications of drug-related violence in northern Mexico. This episode is a haunting reminder of the fragility of life and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable horror.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Before we begin today's episode, we want to
provide a subject matter warning.
This podcast delves intoreal-life crimes and their often
graphic and disturbing details.
Today's episode containsdiscussions of violence, murder
and other sensitive topics thatmay not be suitable for all
listeners.
We understand that this contentcan be triggering or upsetting
(00:22):
for some, and we urge you toconsider your own well-being as
you listen.
With that said, let's proceedwith today's case.
On March 14th 1989, mark JamesKilroy was a young man with a
(01:03):
bright future whose spring breakin Mexico turned into a
nightmare.
What began as a carefree tripwith friends quickly spiralled
into one of the most horrifyingand bizarre crimes ever recorded
Abduction, black magic andritualistic murder.
This is the story of how apromising student's life was cut
short in a way no one couldhave ever imagined.
(01:25):
Welcome to the End of Reasonpodcast.
Today, we are looking at thecase of Mark James Kilroy.
To start, we must go back toMarch 10th 1989, when Bradley
Moore, one of Mark Kilroy'schildhood friends, wrapped up
(01:45):
his exams early at Texas A&MUniversity, a college in College
Station, texas.
This is one of the largestpublic universities in the
United States.
Founded in 1876, it was thefirst public institution of
higher education in Texas and isknown for its strong
engineering, agriculture andbusiness programs.
(02:06):
Bradley wasted no time hittingthe road to Austin to pick up
Mark.
From there, the two made theirway to Santa Fe, a city in
Galveston County, texas, wherethey gathered two more friends,
bill Huddleston and Brent Martin.
Their destination South PadreIsland, texas, a hotspot for
spring break revelry.
(02:27):
After enduring a foggynine-hour drive through the back
roads of South Texas, theyfinally reached South Padre
Island just before midnight.
Exhausted but eager, they spentthe night resting in their car
and checked in at the Sheratonhotels and resorts first thing
the following day, ready to hitthe beach and start their spring
(02:49):
break adventure.
When Kilroy and Moore firstarrived at South Padre Island at
the start of the five-weekspring break season, the crowds
were sparse.
But as the weekend unfolded,thousands of students from
across the US began pouring inBeer.
Sponsors set the stage for afrenzy of entertainment Free
movies, live music, concerts,simulated surfing activities and
(03:13):
even chances to appear in TVcommercials, all designed to
keep the party going day andnight.
Kilroy and Moore took advantageof the free phone calls to
check in with their parents thatday.
That evening they met a groupof female students from Purdue
University, and the groupquickly hit it off, partying
(03:34):
together until the early hoursof the morning.
The next morning, kilroy and hisfriends settled into a
laid-back routine.
They'd start their day on thebeach soaking up the sun before
grabbing lunch.
They'd head to the beach areabehind their hotel in the
afternoons to catch the dailyMiss Tan Line contest.
(03:54):
After the event, kilroyreturned to the hotel for a
quick nap, gearing up for theirplanned trip to Mexico later
that day.
That evening they left SouthPadre Island and stopped for
dinner at a Sonic Drive-In inPort Isabel, texas.
There they met a group offemale students from the
University of Kansas who werealso headed to Mexico for a
(04:16):
night of partying.
The women decided to join them,following Moore's car from Port
Isabel to Brownsville.
When arriving, they parked nearthe Gateway International
Bridge and crossed the US-Mexicoborder on foot.
Ready for a night of adventure,kilroy and his friends, along
with the Kansas women, spent theevening at Sergeant Pepper's
(04:37):
nightclub in Matamoros.
Before parting ways, the groupreturned to South Padre Island
in the early hours of themorning.
The group returned to SouthPadre Island in the early hours
of the morning.
On March 13th, kilroy and hisfriends attended another Miss
Tan Line contest behind theSheraton.
Later that evening Kilroyreconnected with a former frat
brother at a condo party.
Around 10.30pm Kilroy and hisfriends made their way back to
(05:07):
Matamoros, parking on the borderand again crossing by foot.
That night Matamoros was filledwith around 15,000 spring break
tourists from the United States, filling the city's main street
, álvaro Obregón, as well as thesidewalks, streets and
nightclubs.
Everyone was eager to takeadvantage of Mexico's lax
drinking laws and enjoyaffordable alcohol.
(05:28):
When Kilroy and his friendsarrived, they opted for the bar
with the shortest wait and endedup at Los Sombreros, known for
its rock music and vibrant neonlights.
But after a few drinks theyleft Los Sombreros and wandered
over to London Pub, which hadrebranded as Hard Rock Cafe.
For spring break the Hard RockCafe was even louder and more
(05:50):
raucous, with tourists tossingbeer from the balcony as Kilroy
and his friends stood at the barsoaking in the chaos.
Kilroy connected with a fewwomen at the bar and was out of
sight from his friends for sometime.
Around 2am, huddleston suggestedit was time to head back to
South Padre Island.
As the group exited London Pubthey spotted Kilroy leaning
(06:15):
against a car, chatting with awoman from the Miss Tanline
contest.
Across Alvaro Obregon Street,thousands of tourists were
streaming out of the barsheading toward Brownsville,
while others dispersed indifferent directions.
The massive crowd made itchallenging for Kilroy and his
friends to cross the bordertogether and without
(06:35):
interruption.
Moore and Martin broke awayfrom the group and headed to
Garcia's, a popular restaurantand store near the border.
Kilroy meanwhile paused on thesteps of a house on Alvaro
Obregon to bid farewell to thewoman from Miss Tanline.
He then waited for Huddlestonto join him.
While Huddleston ducked into anearby alley to urinate, kilroy
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stood by waiting when Huddlestonre-emerged and made his way
back to Garcia's.
Kilroy had disappeared.
His friends searched for himfor hours, even after the bars
closed and the streets cleared.
Around 4.30am they crossed theborder, hoping Kilroy might have
made his way to Brownsville andwere waiting near their parked
(07:19):
car.
When they didn't find him, theystayed briefly in Brownsville
before returning to South PadreIsland, assuming Kilroy had
likely gone to the hotel withsomeone else.
When Kilroy was still missingthe next morning, they reported
him to the police.
The search for Kilroy started asa routine case of missing
persons.
Typically, students reportedmissing in Matamoros would
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reappear within a few days,usually with a hangover and
foggy memories of their ordeal.
Kilroy was among the 60 peoplewho had gone missing in
Matamoros during the first threemonths of 1989.
However, his case gainedheightened attention in the
United States due to theinvolvement of his uncle, ken
Kilroy, who worked at the UnitedStates Customs Service in Los
(08:03):
Angeles when news of Kilroy'sdisappearance reached his uncle,
ken Kilroy, who worked at theUnited States Customs Service in
Los Angeles.
When news of Kilroy'sdisappearance reached his uncle,
a police task force was quicklyestablished in Brownsville to
search for him.
Concerned about the negativepublicity and its potential
impact on tourism in Matamoros,local police officers attempted
to deflect responsibility bysuggesting that Kilroy had gone
(08:25):
missing in Brownsville.
Kilroy's friends stronglyrefuted these claims.
This helped in the decision bythe Mexican Federal Police to
commit to collaborating with USinvestigators on the case.
A commander assigned Mexicanagents to work alongside US
officials in Matamoros.
Together they interviewedinformants and potential
(08:46):
witnesses and diligently pursuedleads provided by their sources
.
Both Mexican and US authoritiessuspected foul play in Kilroy's
disappearance.
They considered the possibilitythat he might have been a
victim of drug-related violenceor a robbery gone wrong, but
they lacked concrete leads todraw any firm conclusions.
(09:07):
When Kilroy's friends reportedhim missing.
Customs agents accompanied themback to Matamoros to help
retrace their steps.
Texan officials reached out tothe US consulate in Matamoros
requesting a search of localjails and hospitals using
Kilroy's description.
Additionally, investigatorsenlisted a hypnotist in hopes of
(09:27):
uncovering new clues.
While under hypnosis, moorereported seeing a young Hispanic
man in a blue plaid shirt witha visible scar across his face,
talking to Kilroy.
Before his disappearance, theman approached Kilroy and said
hey, don't I know you fromsomewhere, although Huddleston
was unsure if Kilroy, and saidhey, don't I know you from
somewhere, although Huddlestonwas unsure if Kilroy had
(09:48):
responded.
Despite this, none of thefriends could pinpoint the exact
moment or location of Kilroy'sdisappearance.
Investigators speculated thatKilroy had been kidnapped for
robbery or ransom, with robberybeing the more likely motive,
since the abductors had notdemanded any ransom.
Authorities suspected thatKilroy's body had been discarded
(10:14):
in a remote area.
The US Border Patrol deployedhelicopters and all-terrain
vehicles to search along the RioGrande River, but no trace of
him was found.
To search along the Rio GrandeRiver, but no trace of him was
found.
Meanwhile, kilroy's parentstravelled to the Rio Grande
Valley, distributing over 20,000flyers and offering a $15,000
reward for information abouttheir son.
(10:35):
They sought assistance fromprominent figures, including
Attorney General Jim Mattox,texas Governor William Clements
and US Senator Lloyd Benson.
Texan officials informed themthat they planned to engage
Tamaulipas Governor AmericoVillarreal Guerra and increase
local involvement in the searchfor Kilroy.
(10:55):
Residents from Kilroy'shometown traveled to Matamoros
distributing flyers that offereda reward for information
leading to his safe return.
While US authorities commendedthe Mexican federal police for
their efforts, they weresceptical of state and municipal
officials.
There was concern that the slowresponse and lack of
(11:17):
information sharing from localauthorities suggested the
possibility of insideinvolvement with Kilroy's
perpetrators.
On March 26th, kilroy's casewas featured on the national
television show America's MostWanted, drawing widespread
attention and resulting innumerous phone calls and letters
with potential leads.
(11:38):
However, the police found thatnone of these tips were
substantial enough to act on.
A few days later, kilroy'sparents returned to Santa Fe,
where the community rallied byorganising garage sales and car
washes to support their ongoingsearch.
Additionally, kilroy's parentsvisited the University of Texas
(11:59):
at Austin to withdraw their sonfrom school.
Finally, there was abreakthrough in the case on
April 1st 1989, when Mexicanfederal officers at a drug
interdiction checkpointwitnessed a vehicle bypassing
the roadblock without stopping.
The car had crossed the borderfrom Texas and was speeding
along Mexican Federal Highway 2,which connects Matamoros and
(12:22):
Reynosa to Mólopas.
But instead of activating theirsirens and pursuing the truck,
the officers opted to follow itdiscreetly using an unmarked
vehicle.
The truck drove to the SantaElena Ranch outside Matamoros,
where the officers maintained awatch from a distance.
After about 30 minutes, thetruck left the ranch and
returned to the city.
(12:42):
The officers then decided toinspect the ranch.
During their search, theydiscovered cult paraphernalia
and traces of marijuana.
Police identified the truckdriver as Serafine
Hernandez-Garcia, the nephew ofa local drug lord whose
operations were centered aroundthe ranch.
Rather than arrestHernandez-Garcia immediately,
(13:04):
the authorities chose to gatheradditional evidence on the
criminal activities taking placeat the ranch and the organized
crime members connected to theHernandez family.
They employed informants inMatamoros to investigate family
activities at Santa Elena,aiming to build a case for a
series of critical arrests.
On April 9th, authoritiesreturned with additional
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officers.
They arrested SerafineHernandez-Garcia, his uncle,
elio Hernandez-Rivera, cultmembers David Serna-Valdez and
Sergio Martinez-Salinas, andDomingo Reyes-Bustamante, the
ranch's caretaker.
Despite the gravity of thesituation, the detainees
appeared remarkably relaxed.
They were placed in custodywhile the police questioned
(13:48):
another caretaker at the ranch.
This individual disclosed thatthe ranch frequently received
visitors from Serafine'scriminal group.
The caretaker confirmed thatKilroy had been at the ranch,
identifying him from aphotograph and indicating the
location where he had seen him.
Yes, the caretaker said I sawhim, pointing to a shack on the
(14:11):
property.
During a separate interrogation,hernandez-garcia admitted that
several people, including Kilroy, had been killed over the past
few months at Santa Elena.
Hernandez-garcia revealed thatthe murders had been
orchestrated by Adolfo Constanzo, a cult leader who practiced
ritualistic human sacrifice,believing it provided
(14:34):
supernatural protection for hisdrug gang.
Constanzo believed that suchsacrifices bestowed strength,
abundance and immunity from lawenforcement and harm.
Hernandez-garcia explained thatConstanzo had explicitly
instructed his followers tocapture a white Anglo male for
sacrifice.
According to SerafineHernandez-Garcia, he and other
(15:02):
gang members had mingled withspring break students in
Matamoros.
On the night of March 14th, asKilroy stood on the street near
his friends, one of the menlured him towards a truck.
When Kilroy approachedHernandez Garcia and another
cult member, malio Fabio PonceTorres, seized him and forced
him into the truck.
(15:22):
After a couple of blocks,torres seized him and forced him
into the truck.
After a couple of blocks, oneof the gangsters briefly stopped
to catch his breath, allowingKilroy to break free and flee.
However, he was quicklyintercepted by another vehicle
driven by the gang's allies, whocaptured him at gunpoint.
Kilroy was then subdued,handcuffed and placed in the
back of the second vehicle.
The gangsters transportedKilroy through the city's back
(15:45):
streets and industrial areas,ultimately reaching Santa Elena
Ranch.
They left him inside thevehicle overnight.
At dawn, the ranch caretakervisited Kilroy, providing him
with bread, eggs and water.
Approximately 12 hours afterKilroy's abduction, constanzo
and his associates arrived.
(16:06):
They wrapped his face and mouthwith duct tape and led him,
with his hands still bound,through a field to a storage
cabin.
Throughout the night of March15th, constanzo tortured and
sodomised Kilroy before takinghim out to the field there.
Constanzo killed him by hackingat the back of his neck and
head with a machete.
(16:27):
Kilroy's brain was then boiledin nganga, an African metal pot
used by Constanzo to cook humanand animal remains.
His legs were severed above theknees for easier burial and a
wire was inserted into hisspinal column to facilitate the
extraction of bones once thebody had decomposed.
The cult members then dug agrave on the ranch and buried
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Kilroy's body.
Hernandez-garcia agreed to leadthe police to the location
where Kilroy was buried, markedby the ends of the wire
protruding from the soil.
He explained that the wire hadbeen used to facilitate the
retrieval of bones, which cultmembers planned to wear as
necklaces to protect themselvesfrom danger and injury.
(17:13):
On April 11th, the police tookHernandez Garcia and the four
other suspects to Santa ElenaRanch and forced them at
gunpoint to spend several hoursexcavating graves.
Once Kilroy's body was exhumed,it was noted that his legs were
missing.
Hernandez-garcia clarified thatthe amputations were not part
(17:33):
of the ritual but were performedto facilitate burial.
The excavation uncovered 15mutilated bodies, including
Kilroy's, all of which were maleand had been killed over the
past nine months.
Kilroy's identity was confirmedwhen Brownsville police matched
his dental records with theteeth found at the scene.
Investigators determined thatmost of the victims were rival
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drug dealers of Constanzo, notrandom abductees like Kilroy.
Three of the 15 bodies remainedunidentified.
At the ranch, mexican policealso seized 110 kilograms of
marijuana, 108 grams of cocaine,12 firearms, including three
submachine guns, and 11 vehicles, some equipped with telephones.
(18:20):
Inside an iron pot,investigators found human brain
remains, a goat's head, chickenfeet, a turtle, various herbs, a
horseshoe and coins mixed withanimal blood, but there was no
evidence of cannibalism.
The following day, april 12th,the detainees were brought to
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the Mexican Federal JudicialPolice headquarters in Matamoros
for an informal pressconference.
Over 250 internationaljournalists gathered to
photograph and interview them.
The four suspects weredisplayed on the building's
balcony and answered reporters'questions.
Elio Hernandez Rivera claimedhe was an ordained executioner
(19:01):
under Constanzo and thatConstanzo himself had killed
Kilroy.
As the cameras focused on thesuspects, hernandez Rivera
revealed his membership scarsarrow-like cuts on his shoulders
, back, arms and chest, madewith a hot blade.
These markings were given toselect cult members authorised
to perform human sacrifices.
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On April 13th, a religiousceremony initially organised to
renew hope for Kilroy's safereturn transformed into a
memorial service following thediscovery of his body.
The service took place at OurLady of Lourdes Catholic Church
in Santa Fe, where manyresidents gathered.
Around 150 children adorned thechurch's trees with yellow
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ribbons as a symbol of supportfor Kilroy.
After the ceremony, kilroy'sfriends expressed regret,
wishing they had stayed in Texasto party rather than travelling
to Mexico.
In Brownsville, a memorialservice at St Luke Catholic
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Church drew over 1,200 attendeeswho came to support Kilroy's
parents.
Many wore yellow ribbonsinscribed with Miss you Mark and
waited in line to offer theircondolences.
The Kilroy family demonstratedprofound faith and composure
while addressing the pressdemonstrated profound faith and
(20:26):
composure.
While addressing the press,kilroy's father spoke about the
murder, stating that they heldno anger towards the
perpetrators and hoped that oneday, if those responsible went
to heaven and encountered theirson, they would apologise.
Kilroy's mother urged others topray for the murderers.
On April 15th, kilroy's parentsmet with the US President,
george W Bush, and WilliamBennett, the head of the Office
(20:50):
of National Drug Control Policy.
They told the politicians thatevery drug user creates a victim
and emphasised that drugconsumption, even in moderation,
inflicts suffering.
They advocated for improvededucation on drug abuse.
Bush described the case as verysensitive and Bennett
acknowledged that Kilroy'smurder was mourned nationwide,
(21:13):
but praised the parents forchanneling their grief into a
very good effort.
Following the meeting, theparents expressed satisfaction
that the government was headedin the right direction, despite
a lack of specifics on futureactions against drug abuse.
They commended the government'sinitiative to seek public input
on improving the country.
(21:33):
Kilroy's father emphasised thatmeaningful change required both
governmental action andindividual effort from every
citizen.
Two weeks after the bodies wereexhumed from Santa Elena, the
Mexican federal police returnedto the ranch early in the
morning to destroy the shack andplace a wooden cross over the
ashes to the ranch early in themorning to destroy the shack and
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place a wooden cross over theashes.
A curandero folk healer wasbrought to purify the site
before the burning.
The curandero entered the shack, said a few prayers, sprinkled
salt on the floor and made thesign of the cross.
The police then doused thebuilding in gasoline and set it
ablaze.
The Mexican government did notprovide an official explanation
for these actions.
(22:16):
Still, a source close to theinvestigation suggested that the
police aimed to undermineConstanzo by destroying a place
of great significance to him.
The following morning,constanzo reportedly went into a
rage when he saw the arsonreported on national television.
Went into a rage when he sawthe arson reported on national
(22:37):
television.
By murdering Kilroy, constanzodrew international attention and
compelled the Mexicangovernment to intensify its
efforts to bring him and hisfollowers to justice.
On April 11th 1989, the sameday the bodies were exhumed from
Santa Elena, constanzo fled toa holiday inn in Brownsville,
texas, before catching a flightfrom McAllen to Mexico City,
(22:59):
where he had an apartment.
He escaped with severalaccomplices, including Sara
Aldrete, martin QuintanaRodriguez, omar Francisco Orea
Ochoa and Alvaro de Leon Valdez.
In response, us and Mexican lawenforcement agencies launched a
massive international manhuntto capture Constanzo and his
(23:21):
cult members.
Authorities initially suspectedthat Constanzo might head to
Miami to visit his mother, buthe chose to hide in Mexico City,
moving between locations withhis followers.
Rumors spread of sightings inChicago, while others claimed
Aldrete was spotted in schoolsacross the Rio Grande Valley,
allegedly vowing to abductchildren.
(23:42):
For each cult member jailed, aconvenience store clerk in
Clovis, new Mexico, reportedseeing a couple resembling
Constanzo and Aldrete.
Constanzo's last confirmedsighting was in Brownsville,
driving a 1989 Mercedes-Benz.
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In Matamoros, law enforcementraided Aldrete's home,
discovering an altar, religiousimages and bloodstains
throughout the interior.
The Cameron County Sheriff'sOffice released a wanted poster
declaring Constanzo extremelydangerous and indicted both him
and Aldretti for aggravatedkidnapping.
They were also charged inMcAllen with various drug
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offences, along with 11 othercult members.
Arrest warrants were issued forall cult members still at large
and, despite the lack of solidleads, authorities encouraged
the public to continue providinginformation.
On April 17th, seraphineHernandez Rivera Sr, a native of
(24:48):
Brownsville, was arrested inHouston by DEA agents and the
Texas Department of PublicSafety.
He faced federal charges forimporting marijuana, possession
and conspiracy, along with twoassociates, quintana Rodriguez
and Ponce Torres, both Mexicancitizens.
During a search of his Houstonresidence authorities seized
(25:11):
cash and weapons but found nocult-related items or clues
about Constanzo's location.
Houston police suspectedConstanzo might be hiding in the
city as he was connected to afailed $20 million cocaine
operation busted there in June1988.
Investigators discoveredritualistic candles, an altar
(25:32):
and paperwork bearing Rivera'sname at the house, suggesting
Constanzo had purchased severalproperties in Houston and may
have frequented one of theselocations.
Serafine Sr cooperated with USofficials and was sentenced to
18 months in prison, released inJune 1990 and returned to
Brownsville.
Released in June 1990, andreturned to Brownsville that
(25:54):
same day.
Mexican police raided one ofConstanzo's properties in
Atizapan, mexico City,uncovering a stash of homosexual
pornography and a hidden ritualchamber with an altar.
This led them to questionmembers of Mexico City's
homosexual community forpossible leads on Constanzo's
(26:15):
whereabouts.
Despite finding altars andother ritualistic objects, no
evidence linked the property toany murders.
No men were apprehended, butauthorities arrested Maria
Teresa Quintana Rodriguez, thesister of one of Constanzo's
lovers and henchmen.
Additionally, aldrete's purseand personal belongings were
found at the property, promptingsuspicions that Constanzo might
(26:37):
have killed her because sheknew too much about his cult.
Police noted they did not seeAldrete with the group upon
their arrival in Mexico City andspeculated that Constanzo could
have buried her somewhere inthe city.
However, us authoritiesbelieved Aldrete may have
intentionally left herbelongings behind to mislead
(26:58):
investigators and fake her death.
On April 24th, police arrestedVictor Manuel Antunes Flores and
Salvador Antonio Villaluz, whowere hiding in one of
Constanzo's properties in theJuarez neighborhood.
The Mexico City police noticedsimilarities between the
Matamoros murders and a seriesof killings in Mexico City from
(27:21):
1987 to 1989.
After consulting with localwitchcraft practitioners and
sorcerers, they learned thatConstanzo was likely hiding in
Cuauhtémoc, a borough of thecity.
Another source provided anaddress in the nearby Veronica
Anzures neighborhood.
Sixteen officers weredispatched to search the area.
(27:42):
They spoke to a shoemaker at alocal supermarket who claimed to
have seen a woman resemblingAldrete.
While there, they spotted a manattempting to buy large
quantities of groceries with USdollars.
They discreetly followed himback to an apartment on Rio Sena
and identified him as De Leon,who was buying supplies for
(28:02):
Constanzo.
By the end of the week, thepolice were certain of
Constanzo's location.
On May 6th 1989, they surroundedthe building, waiting for
traffic to subside beforelaunching their raid.
However, before the operationbegan, a black vehicle pulled up
in front of the apartmentcomplex, prompting the police to
investigate.
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From his window, constanzo sawthe officers and opened fire.
He threw golden coins and papermoney out the window and burned
some on a stove.
He threw golden coins and papermoney out the window and burned
some on a stove.
After exhausting his ammunition, Constanzo, growing
increasingly desperate, orderedDe Leon to kill him and Quintana
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Rodriguez to avoid capture.
De Leon hesitated, butConstanzo slapped him and
threatened him with eternalsuffering if he disobeyed.
Resolute Constanzo huggedQuintana Rodriguez and De Leon,
shot them both with a machinegun while they huddled in a
closet.
When the police stormed thesmoke-filled apartment, aldrete
ran out screaming that Constanzowas dead.
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De Leon later confessed thatConstanzo had lost his mind
during the standoff, shoutingthat everything was lost and
insisting that no one would havehis money.
He also admitted toparticipating in Kilroy's murder
and other killings at SantaElena.
Though he claimed thatConstanzo committed most of the
murders himself, aldrete deniedany involvement, stating she had
(29:35):
only learned of the killingswhen she saw them reported on
television.
She claimed she was stillundergoing initiation into the
cult and had been held captiveby Constanzo during their time
in hiding in Mexico City.
When asked if she was in lovewith Constanzo, she denied it,
asserting she was merely hisfollower At the scene.
The police arrested Aldrete DeLeon, oreja Ochoa, juan Carlos
(29:59):
Fragoso and Jorge Montes.
Later that day they alsodetained Maria de Lourdes Guerro
Lopez and Maria del RocíoCuevas Guerra, two other
cultists renting one ofConstanzo's apartments.
The suspects were charged withhomicide, criminal association,
assaulting an officer andproperty damage.
(30:19):
Concerned that Constanzo mighthave staged his death,
investigators conducted afingerprint analysis which
confirmed the body was indeedhis, despite rumours.
Constanzo's 9mm Uzi submachinegun.
Investigators conducted afingerprint analysis which
confirmed the body was indeedhis.
Despite rumours, Constanzo's9mm Uzi submachine gun and a
supposed suitcase were neverformally recorded as seized
items by the police.
On May 15th, a judge deniedbail for the suspects as the
(30:44):
charges against them carriedsentences totalling over 50
years in prison.
The charges against themcarried sentences totaling over
50 years in prison.
On August 27th 1989, omarFrancisco Orea Ochoa was
admitted to a hospital in SantaMartha, acatitla after being
diagnosed with AIDS.
(31:04):
Police had identified him,along with Aldrete, as one of
Constanzo's lovers.
However, aldrete showed nosigns of the disease.
Aurea Ochoa died on February11th 1990.
On June 2nd 1989, salvador VidalGarcia Alarcón, a police chief
with the Federal Judicial Police, was indicted for drug
trafficking.
Aldrete and other cult membershad identified him as the
(31:27):
group's contact within thepolice force.
Aldrete claimed Constanzo hadtold her that he had killed two
men on Garcia Alarcon's behalf.
The police chief, however,insisted that his relationship
with Constanzo was purelyspiritual, saying he had been
possessed by spirits at a youngage and sought Constanzo for
help.
Garcia Alarcon was not chargedwith Kilroy's murder or any
(31:52):
other killings linked to thecult.
In August 1990, de Leon wassentenced to 30 years in prison
for the murders of Constanzo,and Quintana Rodríguez, fragoso
and Montes received 35-yearsentences for unrelated murder
charges.
Reyes Bustamante, the caretakerof the Santa Elena ranch, was
(32:14):
charged with aiding in thecover-up but was released on
December 11, 1990, after postinga $500 bond.
On June 10, 1993, drugtrafficking charges against
Ovidio and Ponce Torres weredropped in the US without
explanation.
On May 3rd 1994, aldrete wassentenced to 62 years in prison,
(32:36):
while cult members ElioSerafine Jr Martinez Salinas and
Serna Valdez each received67-year sentences.
In a press interview, Kilroy'sparents expressed relief at the
sentencing of the cultists.
The charges against themincluded multiple homicides 31
years.
Possession of narcotics 12years.
(32:58):
Organized crime involvement 5years.
Police impersonation 2 years.
Illegal body desecration 2years.
Illegal firearm possession 10years, and possession of weapons
exclusive to the Mexican armedforces 5 years.
The judge noted that Aldretereceived a shorter sentence
(33:18):
because she was not charged withpossession of military-grade
weapons, a crime carrying amaximum penalty of 5 years.
He also explained that Mexico'sjudicial system caps the
maximum sentence for capitalmurder at 50 years.
Although Mexico does not haveparole, prisoners can petition
for sentence reductions throughappeal courts and, if denied,
(33:41):
can file for a writ of amparo toseek further relief.
On March 27th 1998, a Mexicanfederal court reduced the
sentences of Elio Serna Valdezand Martinez Salinas by 17 years
(34:02):
, lowering them from 67 years tothe maximum 50 years allowed
under Mexican law.
This reduction reflected thecommon practice in Mexico, where
sentences for serious crimesthat exceed 50 years are often
adjusted on appeal.
The cult members wereconsidered eligible for this
sentence reduction as first-timeoffenders.
(34:23):
Elio was transferred to aprison in Ciudad Victoria,
tamaulipas, while Serna Valdezand Martinez Salinas were sent
to Federal Social ReadaptationCenter no 1 in Almaloya State of
Mexico.
As of 2009, only two suspects,ovidio and Ponce Torres,
(34:44):
remained at large and were stillwanted in Mexico for Kilroy's
murder.
In a 2003 press interview,aldrete denied any involvement
in Kilroy's murder or the cultkillings, insisting that
investigators could never trulyunderstand what happened at
Santa Elena because the primarywitness, constanzo, was dead.
She further alleged that thepolice had concealed the
(35:06):
identities of high-profileindividuals associated with
Constanzo to protect themselves.
Declaring her belief in God,she maintained her innocence and
refused to seek forgivenessfrom society for crimes she
claimed she did not commit.
The following year, shepublicly stated that she had
been tortured into confessing,recounting how she was stripped
(35:29):
naked, blindfolded, hung upsidedown, beaten and had her
toenails pulled out.
She claimed the abuse was sosevere that doctors later told
her she would never be able tohave children.
In the early 2000s, aldretereleased an autobiography
detailing her introduction toConstanzo and his group, her
(35:50):
alleged captivity by Constanzo,the abuse she suffered at the
hands of authorities and heraccount of the events.
According to her, she visitedConstanzo in Mexico City and was
taken hostage when he suspectedshe might betray him to the
police.
Al-dretay maintained thatneither Constanzo nor his
followers knew about theMatamoros killings until the
(36:11):
police began searching for them.
They went into hiding out offear for their lives.
She described her treatment injail, including physical abuse,
psychological torture and sexualassault, and asserted that her
trial was unfair.
Her account of Constanzo'sdeath differed from the official
version.
She claimed police executed himduring the raid on the
(36:34):
apartment.
She also criticized theauthorities for burning down the
shack in Santa Elena, arguingthat it likely contained crucial
evidence such as thefingerprints of the true
murderers.
In a 2014 interview, serafineand Martinez Salinas declared
their innocence and offeredtheir perspectives on the case.
(36:55):
Serafine accused FederalJudicial Police Commander Juan
Benitez Ayala of targeting himsolely because of his family
ties to Elio and Ovidio.
He stated that he was notarrested at the ranch, but
rather at Elio's in-law's housein Matamoros, a Houston native
who had moved to Brownsville forcollege.
(37:15):
Serafine said he was visitinghis family in Matamoros when he
was detained.
He claimed he was tortured byMexican and US authorities in
Matamoros to coerce a confessionand threatened with death if he
spoke English.
During his statement, a TexasSouthmost College student
asserted that he knew whoAldrete was, but had no personal
(37:36):
connection to her.
He also stated that he hadnever met Constanzo and was
unaware that the cult was usinghis family ranch.
He further maintained that hedid not dig up any bodies and
was only brought to the ranchafter the exhumation had already
occurred.
Martinez Salinas, on the otherhand, stated that he was coerced
(37:58):
into confessing because he wasa neighbor of the Santa Elena
ranch and a driver for theHernandez family.
He claimed he was beaten andtaken to the ranch where he was
forced to pose with the exhumedbodies.
When asked if he had ever metConstanzo, he said he had only
seen him at the ranch with theHernandez family but never spoke
to him.
(38:18):
Martinez Salinas describedbeing arrested while searching
for a car part at Elio'sin-law's house.
He mentioned that he had knownAldrete for years, having dated
one of her sisters, and hadnever heard her speak about the
cult, only about her studies andmarriage.
He added that Elio and Ovidionever discussed the cult with
(38:39):
him or invited him to join.
After Kilroy's death wasconfirmed, the media quickly
characterized the drugtrafficking group and their
religious practices as Satanists.
Most US outlets focused on thesensational aspect of Satanism,
(38:59):
giving little attention to therampant drug-related violence
that plagued northern Mexico.
This narrow portrayal failed toprovide a complete picture of
what happened in Matamoros.
Some reports inaccuratelyconcluded that the discovery of
human body parts in a largemetal pot was proof of
cannibalism, mistakenlyconflating the group's practices
(39:20):
with the stereotypical image ofSatanist rituals involving the
consumption of human remains.
Meanwhile, other journalistssuggested that Constanzo
worshipped Cadiem Pembe, thedevil figure in Palo Mayombe,
and that Kilroy's mutilation andsecretive burial aligned with
certain occult traditions.
(39:42):
As the media frenzy overSatanism subsided, several
Afro-Cuban scholars argued thatConstanzo's actions stemmed from
a twisted personal convictionand psychopathic manipulation of
Palo Mayombe.
They believed he exploited thereligion for his financial gain,
criminal enterprise andpsychological needs, convincing
his followers that humansacrifice would shield them from
(40:05):
law enforcement.
Others posited that Constanzogenuinely believed Kilroy's
murder was necessary, accordingto his distorted interpretation
of Palo Mayombe.
From this perspective, thegruesome events in Matamoros
were less about cultural contextand more about the potential
for such acts to occur anywhere,given the right blend of
(40:27):
fanaticism and delusion.
On the 20th anniversary of theirson's murder, kilroy's parents
returned to the Rio GrandeValley and Matamoros to express
their gratitude to those who hadsupported them during their
search.
Kilroy's father shared that thecommunity's vigilance and
willingness to report anysuspicious activities related to
(40:49):
his son's disappearance hadeased their grief.
His mother recalled receiving across from a woman in
Brownsville in 1989 whilesearching for her son.
It's a reminder every time thatI know the Lord was involved in
everything she said, gentlytouching the cross around her
neck, gently touching the crossaround her neck.
Helen Kilroy passed away fromALS in 2014 at the age of 70.
(41:19):
Now let's focus on Mark JamesKilroy, born on March 5, 1968 in
Chicago, illinois, to JamesWilliam Jim Kilroy, a chemical
engineer, and Helen JosephineKilroy, a volunteer paramedic.
Shortly after his birth, thefamily relocated from the
Midwest to Texas, eventuallysettling in the small town of
Santa Fe, just outside ofHouston, where Kilroy spent over
15 years alongside his brother,keith Richard Kilroy.
(41:42):
Kilroy and his family wereraised in a Catholic household.
They were active members of OurLady of Lourdes Catholic Church
in nearby Hitchcock, texas.
Kilroy was known for his strongacademic and athletic abilities
.
During his teenage years, heplayed baseball, basketball and
golf and was involved in the BoyScouts of America.
At Santa Fe High School, kilroywas an honours student and
(42:06):
student council member,graduating 14th in a class of
210 students.
After graduating in 1986, kilroyattended Southwest Texas State
University in San Marcos beforetransferring to Tarleton State
University in Stephenville on abasketball scholarship.
While at Tarleton, he joinedthe Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity.
(42:28):
However, he eventually shiftedhis focus from athletics to
academics.
While at Tarleton, he joinedthe Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity.
However, he eventually shiftedhis focus from athletics to
academics and transferred to theUniversity of Texas at Austin
to pursue a pre-med degree.
Thank you for joining us onthis journey through the shadows
of humanity.
On the End of Reason podcast.
(42:48):
As we conclude today's episode,remember that the pursuit of
truth never truly ends.
Until next time, stay vigilant,stay curious and never let go
of reason.
Before we begin today's episode, we want to
provide a subject matter warning.
This podcast delves intoreal-life crimes and their often
graphic and disturbing details.
Today's episode containsdiscussions of violence, murder
and other sensitive topics thatmay not be suitable for all
listeners.
We understand that this contentcan be triggering or upsetting
(00:22):
for some, and we urge you toconsider your own well-being as
you listen.
With that said, let's proceedwith today's case.
On March 14th 1989, mark JamesKilroy was a young man with a
(01:03):
bright future whose spring breakin Mexico turned into a
nightmare.
What began as a carefree tripwith friends quickly spiralled
into one of the most horrifyingand bizarre crimes ever recorded
Abduction, black magic andritualistic murder.
This is the story of how apromising student's life was cut
short in a way no one couldhave ever imagined.
(01:25):
Welcome to the End of Reasonpodcast.
Today, we are looking at thecase of Mark James Kilroy.
To start, we must go back toMarch 10th 1989, when Bradley
Moore, one of Mark Kilroy'schildhood friends, wrapped up
(01:45):
his exams early at Texas A&MUniversity, a college in College
Station, texas.
This is one of the largestpublic universities in the
United States.
Founded in 1876, it was thefirst public institution of
higher education in Texas and isknown for its strong
engineering, agriculture andbusiness programs.
(02:06):
Bradley wasted no time hittingthe road to Austin to pick up
Mark.
From there, the two made theirway to Santa Fe, a city in
Galveston County, texas, wherethey gathered two more friends,
bill Huddleston and Brent Martin.
Their destination South PadreIsland, texas, a hotspot for
spring break revelry.
(02:27):
After enduring a foggynine-hour drive through the back
roads of South Texas, theyfinally reached South Padre
Island just before midnight.
Exhausted but eager, they spentthe night resting in their car
and checked in at the Sheratonhotels and resorts first thing
the following day, ready to hitthe beach and start their spring
(02:49):
break adventure.
When Kilroy and Moore firstarrived at South Padre Island at
the start of the five-weekspring break season, the crowds
were sparse.
But as the weekend unfolded,thousands of students from
across the US began pouring inBeer.
Sponsors set the stage for afrenzy of entertainment Free
movies, live music, concerts,simulated surfing activities and
(03:13):
even chances to appear in TVcommercials, all designed to
keep the party going day andnight.
Kilroy and Moore took advantageof the free phone calls to
check in with their parents thatday.
That evening they met a groupof female students from Purdue
University, and the groupquickly hit it off, partying
(03:34):
together until the early hoursof the morning.
The next morning, kilroy and hisfriends settled into a
laid-back routine.
They'd start their day on thebeach soaking up the sun before
grabbing lunch.
They'd head to the beach areabehind their hotel in the
afternoons to catch the dailyMiss Tan Line contest.
(03:54):
After the event, kilroyreturned to the hotel for a
quick nap, gearing up for theirplanned trip to Mexico later
that day.
That evening they left SouthPadre Island and stopped for
dinner at a Sonic Drive-In inPort Isabel, texas.
There they met a group offemale students from the
University of Kansas who werealso headed to Mexico for a
(04:16):
night of partying.
The women decided to join them,following Moore's car from Port
Isabel to Brownsville.
When arriving, they parked nearthe Gateway International
Bridge and crossed the US-Mexicoborder on foot.
Ready for a night of adventure,kilroy and his friends, along
with the Kansas women, spent theevening at Sergeant Pepper's
(04:37):
nightclub in Matamoros.
Before parting ways, the groupreturned to South Padre Island
in the early hours of themorning.
The group returned to SouthPadre Island in the early hours
of the morning.
On March 13th, kilroy and hisfriends attended another Miss
Tan Line contest behind theSheraton.
Later that evening Kilroyreconnected with a former frat
brother at a condo party.
Around 10.30pm Kilroy and hisfriends made their way back to
(05:07):
Matamoros, parking on the borderand again crossing by foot.
That night Matamoros was filledwith around 15,000 spring break
tourists from the United States, filling the city's main street
, álvaro Obregón, as well as thesidewalks, streets and
nightclubs.
Everyone was eager to takeadvantage of Mexico's lax
drinking laws and enjoyaffordable alcohol.
(05:28):
When Kilroy and his friendsarrived, they opted for the bar
with the shortest wait and endedup at Los Sombreros, known for
its rock music and vibrant neonlights.
But after a few drinks theyleft Los Sombreros and wandered
over to London Pub, which hadrebranded as Hard Rock Cafe.
For spring break the Hard RockCafe was even louder and more
(05:50):
raucous, with tourists tossingbeer from the balcony as Kilroy
and his friends stood at the barsoaking in the chaos.
Kilroy connected with a fewwomen at the bar and was out of
sight from his friends for sometime.
Around 2am, huddleston suggestedit was time to head back to
South Padre Island.
As the group exited London Pubthey spotted Kilroy leaning
(06:15):
against a car, chatting with awoman from the Miss Tanline
contest.
Across Alvaro Obregon Street,thousands of tourists were
streaming out of the barsheading toward Brownsville,
while others dispersed indifferent directions.
The massive crowd made itchallenging for Kilroy and his
friends to cross the bordertogether and without
(06:35):
interruption.
Moore and Martin broke awayfrom the group and headed to
Garcia's, a popular restaurantand store near the border.
Kilroy meanwhile paused on thesteps of a house on Alvaro
Obregon to bid farewell to thewoman from Miss Tanline.
He then waited for Huddlestonto join him.
While Huddleston ducked into anearby alley to urinate, kilroy
(06:59):
stood by waiting when Huddlestonre-emerged and made his way
back to Garcia's.
Kilroy had disappeared.
His friends searched for himfor hours, even after the bars
closed and the streets cleared.
Around 4.30am they crossed theborder, hoping Kilroy might have
made his way to Brownsville andwere waiting near their parked
(07:19):
car.
When they didn't find him, theystayed briefly in Brownsville
before returning to South PadreIsland, assuming Kilroy had
likely gone to the hotel withsomeone else.
When Kilroy was still missingthe next morning, they reported
him to the police.
The search for Kilroy started asa routine case of missing
persons.
Typically, students reportedmissing in Matamoros would
(07:42):
reappear within a few days,usually with a hangover and
foggy memories of their ordeal.
Kilroy was among the 60 peoplewho had gone missing in
Matamoros during the first threemonths of 1989.
However, his case gainedheightened attention in the
United States due to theinvolvement of his uncle, ken
Kilroy, who worked at the UnitedStates Customs Service in Los
(08:03):
Angeles when news of Kilroy'sdisappearance reached his uncle,
ken Kilroy, who worked at theUnited States Customs Service in
Los Angeles.
When news of Kilroy'sdisappearance reached his uncle,
a police task force was quicklyestablished in Brownsville to
search for him.
Concerned about the negativepublicity and its potential
impact on tourism in Matamoros,local police officers attempted
to deflect responsibility bysuggesting that Kilroy had gone
(08:25):
missing in Brownsville.
Kilroy's friends stronglyrefuted these claims.
This helped in the decision bythe Mexican Federal Police to
commit to collaborating with USinvestigators on the case.
A commander assigned Mexicanagents to work alongside US
officials in Matamoros.
Together they interviewedinformants and potential
(08:46):
witnesses and diligently pursuedleads provided by their sources
.
Both Mexican and US authoritiessuspected foul play in Kilroy's
disappearance.
They considered the possibilitythat he might have been a
victim of drug-related violenceor a robbery gone wrong, but
they lacked concrete leads todraw any firm conclusions.
(09:07):
When Kilroy's friends reportedhim missing.
Customs agents accompanied themback to Matamoros to help
retrace their steps.
Texan officials reached out tothe US consulate in Matamoros
requesting a search of localjails and hospitals using
Kilroy's description.
Additionally, investigatorsenlisted a hypnotist in hopes of
(09:27):
uncovering new clues.
While under hypnosis, moorereported seeing a young Hispanic
man in a blue plaid shirt witha visible scar across his face,
talking to Kilroy.
Before his disappearance, theman approached Kilroy and said
hey, don't I know you fromsomewhere, although Huddleston
was unsure if Kilroy, and saidhey, don't I know you from
somewhere, although Huddlestonwas unsure if Kilroy had
(09:48):
responded.
Despite this, none of thefriends could pinpoint the exact
moment or location of Kilroy'sdisappearance.
Investigators speculated thatKilroy had been kidnapped for
robbery or ransom, with robberybeing the more likely motive,
since the abductors had notdemanded any ransom.
Authorities suspected thatKilroy's body had been discarded
(10:14):
in a remote area.
The US Border Patrol deployedhelicopters and all-terrain
vehicles to search along the RioGrande River, but no trace of
him was found.
To search along the Rio GrandeRiver, but no trace of him was
found.
Meanwhile, kilroy's parentstravelled to the Rio Grande
Valley, distributing over 20,000flyers and offering a $15,000
reward for information abouttheir son.
(10:35):
They sought assistance fromprominent figures, including
Attorney General Jim Mattox,texas Governor William Clements
and US Senator Lloyd Benson.
Texan officials informed themthat they planned to engage
Tamaulipas Governor AmericoVillarreal Guerra and increase
local involvement in the searchfor Kilroy.
(10:55):
Residents from Kilroy'shometown traveled to Matamoros
distributing flyers that offereda reward for information
leading to his safe return.
While US authorities commendedthe Mexican federal police for
their efforts, they weresceptical of state and municipal
officials.
There was concern that the slowresponse and lack of
(11:17):
information sharing from localauthorities suggested the
possibility of insideinvolvement with Kilroy's
perpetrators.
On March 26th, kilroy's casewas featured on the national
television show America's MostWanted, drawing widespread
attention and resulting innumerous phone calls and letters
with potential leads.
(11:38):
However, the police found thatnone of these tips were
substantial enough to act on.
A few days later, kilroy'sparents returned to Santa Fe,
where the community rallied byorganising garage sales and car
washes to support their ongoingsearch.
Additionally, kilroy's parentsvisited the University of Texas
(11:59):
at Austin to withdraw their sonfrom school.
Finally, there was abreakthrough in the case on
April 1st 1989, when Mexicanfederal officers at a drug
interdiction checkpointwitnessed a vehicle bypassing
the roadblock without stopping.
The car had crossed the borderfrom Texas and was speeding
along Mexican Federal Highway 2,which connects Matamoros and
(12:22):
Reynosa to Mólopas.
But instead of activating theirsirens and pursuing the truck,
the officers opted to follow itdiscreetly using an unmarked
vehicle.
The truck drove to the SantaElena Ranch outside Matamoros,
where the officers maintained awatch from a distance.
After about 30 minutes, thetruck left the ranch and
returned to the city.
(12:42):
The officers then decided toinspect the ranch.
During their search, theydiscovered cult paraphernalia
and traces of marijuana.
Police identified the truckdriver as Serafine
Hernandez-Garcia, the nephew ofa local drug lord whose
operations were centered aroundthe ranch.
Rather than arrestHernandez-Garcia immediately,
(13:04):
the authorities chose to gatheradditional evidence on the
criminal activities taking placeat the ranch and the organized
crime members connected to theHernandez family.
They employed informants inMatamoros to investigate family
activities at Santa Elena,aiming to build a case for a
series of critical arrests.
On April 9th, authoritiesreturned with additional
(13:25):
officers.
They arrested SerafineHernandez-Garcia, his uncle,
elio Hernandez-Rivera, cultmembers David Serna-Valdez and
Sergio Martinez-Salinas, andDomingo Reyes-Bustamante, the
ranch's caretaker.
Despite the gravity of thesituation, the detainees
appeared remarkably relaxed.
They were placed in custodywhile the police questioned
(13:48):
another caretaker at the ranch.
This individual disclosed thatthe ranch frequently received
visitors from Serafine'scriminal group.
The caretaker confirmed thatKilroy had been at the ranch,
identifying him from aphotograph and indicating the
location where he had seen him.
Yes, the caretaker said I sawhim, pointing to a shack on the
(14:11):
property.
During a separate interrogation,hernandez-garcia admitted that
several people, including Kilroy, had been killed over the past
few months at Santa Elena.
Hernandez-garcia revealed thatthe murders had been
orchestrated by Adolfo Constanzo, a cult leader who practiced
ritualistic human sacrifice,believing it provided
(14:34):
supernatural protection for hisdrug gang.
Constanzo believed that suchsacrifices bestowed strength,
abundance and immunity from lawenforcement and harm.
Hernandez-garcia explained thatConstanzo had explicitly
instructed his followers tocapture a white Anglo male for
sacrifice.
According to SerafineHernandez-Garcia, he and other
(15:02):
gang members had mingled withspring break students in
Matamoros.
On the night of March 14th, asKilroy stood on the street near
his friends, one of the menlured him towards a truck.
When Kilroy approachedHernandez Garcia and another
cult member, malio Fabio PonceTorres, seized him and forced
him into the truck.
(15:22):
After a couple of blocks,torres seized him and forced him
into the truck.
After a couple of blocks, oneof the gangsters briefly stopped
to catch his breath, allowingKilroy to break free and flee.
However, he was quicklyintercepted by another vehicle
driven by the gang's allies, whocaptured him at gunpoint.
Kilroy was then subdued,handcuffed and placed in the
back of the second vehicle.
The gangsters transportedKilroy through the city's back
(15:45):
streets and industrial areas,ultimately reaching Santa Elena
Ranch.
They left him inside thevehicle overnight.
At dawn, the ranch caretakervisited Kilroy, providing him
with bread, eggs and water.
Approximately 12 hours afterKilroy's abduction, constanzo
and his associates arrived.
(16:06):
They wrapped his face and mouthwith duct tape and led him,
with his hands still bound,through a field to a storage
cabin.
Throughout the night of March15th, constanzo tortured and
sodomised Kilroy before takinghim out to the field there.
Constanzo killed him by hackingat the back of his neck and
head with a machete.
(16:27):
Kilroy's brain was then boiledin nganga, an African metal pot
used by Constanzo to cook humanand animal remains.
His legs were severed above theknees for easier burial and a
wire was inserted into hisspinal column to facilitate the
extraction of bones once thebody had decomposed.
The cult members then dug agrave on the ranch and buried
(16:51):
Kilroy's body.
Hernandez-garcia agreed to leadthe police to the location
where Kilroy was buried, markedby the ends of the wire
protruding from the soil.
He explained that the wire hadbeen used to facilitate the
retrieval of bones, which cultmembers planned to wear as
necklaces to protect themselvesfrom danger and injury.
(17:13):
On April 11th, the police tookHernandez Garcia and the four
other suspects to Santa ElenaRanch and forced them at
gunpoint to spend several hoursexcavating graves.
Once Kilroy's body was exhumed,it was noted that his legs were
missing.
Hernandez-garcia clarified thatthe amputations were not part
(17:33):
of the ritual but were performedto facilitate burial.
The excavation uncovered 15mutilated bodies, including
Kilroy's, all of which were maleand had been killed over the
past nine months.
Kilroy's identity was confirmedwhen Brownsville police matched
his dental records with theteeth found at the scene.
Investigators determined thatmost of the victims were rival
(17:57):
drug dealers of Constanzo, notrandom abductees like Kilroy.
Three of the 15 bodies remainedunidentified.
At the ranch, mexican policealso seized 110 kilograms of
marijuana, 108 grams of cocaine,12 firearms, including three
submachine guns, and 11 vehicles, some equipped with telephones.
(18:20):
Inside an iron pot,investigators found human brain
remains, a goat's head, chickenfeet, a turtle, various herbs, a
horseshoe and coins mixed withanimal blood, but there was no
evidence of cannibalism.
The following day, april 12th,the detainees were brought to
(18:40):
the Mexican Federal JudicialPolice headquarters in Matamoros
for an informal pressconference.
Over 250 internationaljournalists gathered to
photograph and interview them.
The four suspects weredisplayed on the building's
balcony and answered reporters'questions.
Elio Hernandez Rivera claimedhe was an ordained executioner
(19:01):
under Constanzo and thatConstanzo himself had killed
Kilroy.
As the cameras focused on thesuspects, hernandez Rivera
revealed his membership scarsarrow-like cuts on his shoulders
, back, arms and chest, madewith a hot blade.
These markings were given toselect cult members authorised
to perform human sacrifices.
(19:24):
On April 13th, a religiousceremony initially organised to
renew hope for Kilroy's safereturn transformed into a
memorial service following thediscovery of his body.
The service took place at OurLady of Lourdes Catholic Church
in Santa Fe, where manyresidents gathered.
Around 150 children adorned thechurch's trees with yellow
(19:44):
ribbons as a symbol of supportfor Kilroy.
After the ceremony, kilroy'sfriends expressed regret,
wishing they had stayed in Texasto party rather than travelling
to Mexico.
In Brownsville, a memorialservice at St Luke Catholic
(20:05):
Church drew over 1,200 attendeeswho came to support Kilroy's
parents.
Many wore yellow ribbonsinscribed with Miss you Mark and
waited in line to offer theircondolences.
The Kilroy family demonstratedprofound faith and composure
while addressing the pressdemonstrated profound faith and
(20:26):
composure.
While addressing the press,kilroy's father spoke about the
murder, stating that they heldno anger towards the
perpetrators and hoped that oneday, if those responsible went
to heaven and encountered theirson, they would apologise.
Kilroy's mother urged others topray for the murderers.
On April 15th, kilroy's parentsmet with the US President,
george W Bush, and WilliamBennett, the head of the Office
(20:50):
of National Drug Control Policy.
They told the politicians thatevery drug user creates a victim
and emphasised that drugconsumption, even in moderation,
inflicts suffering.
They advocated for improvededucation on drug abuse.
Bush described the case as verysensitive and Bennett
acknowledged that Kilroy'smurder was mourned nationwide,
(21:13):
but praised the parents forchanneling their grief into a
very good effort.
Following the meeting, theparents expressed satisfaction
that the government was headedin the right direction, despite
a lack of specifics on futureactions against drug abuse.
They commended the government'sinitiative to seek public input
on improving the country.
(21:33):
Kilroy's father emphasised thatmeaningful change required both
governmental action andindividual effort from every
citizen.
Two weeks after the bodies wereexhumed from Santa Elena, the
Mexican federal police returnedto the ranch early in the
morning to destroy the shack andplace a wooden cross over the
ashes to the ranch early in themorning to destroy the shack and
(21:55):
place a wooden cross over theashes.
A curandero folk healer wasbrought to purify the site
before the burning.
The curandero entered the shack, said a few prayers, sprinkled
salt on the floor and made thesign of the cross.
The police then doused thebuilding in gasoline and set it
ablaze.
The Mexican government did notprovide an official explanation
for these actions.
(22:16):
Still, a source close to theinvestigation suggested that the
police aimed to undermineConstanzo by destroying a place
of great significance to him.
The following morning,constanzo reportedly went into a
rage when he saw the arsonreported on national television.
Went into a rage when he sawthe arson reported on national
(22:37):
television.
By murdering Kilroy, constanzodrew international attention and
compelled the Mexicangovernment to intensify its
efforts to bring him and hisfollowers to justice.
On April 11th 1989, the sameday the bodies were exhumed from
Santa Elena, constanzo fled toa holiday inn in Brownsville,
texas, before catching a flightfrom McAllen to Mexico City,
(22:59):
where he had an apartment.
He escaped with severalaccomplices, including Sara
Aldrete, martin QuintanaRodriguez, omar Francisco Orea
Ochoa and Alvaro de Leon Valdez.
In response, us and Mexican lawenforcement agencies launched a
massive international manhuntto capture Constanzo and his
(23:21):
cult members.
Authorities initially suspectedthat Constanzo might head to
Miami to visit his mother, buthe chose to hide in Mexico City,
moving between locations withhis followers.
Rumors spread of sightings inChicago, while others claimed
Aldrete was spotted in schoolsacross the Rio Grande Valley,
allegedly vowing to abductchildren.
(23:42):
For each cult member jailed, aconvenience store clerk in
Clovis, new Mexico, reportedseeing a couple resembling
Constanzo and Aldrete.
Constanzo's last confirmedsighting was in Brownsville,
driving a 1989 Mercedes-Benz.
(24:05):
In Matamoros, law enforcementraided Aldrete's home,
discovering an altar, religiousimages and bloodstains
throughout the interior.
The Cameron County Sheriff'sOffice released a wanted poster
declaring Constanzo extremelydangerous and indicted both him
and Aldretti for aggravatedkidnapping.
They were also charged inMcAllen with various drug
(24:25):
offences, along with 11 othercult members.
Arrest warrants were issued forall cult members still at large
and, despite the lack of solidleads, authorities encouraged
the public to continue providinginformation.
On April 17th, seraphineHernandez Rivera Sr, a native of
(24:48):
Brownsville, was arrested inHouston by DEA agents and the
Texas Department of PublicSafety.
He faced federal charges forimporting marijuana, possession
and conspiracy, along with twoassociates, quintana Rodriguez
and Ponce Torres, both Mexicancitizens.
During a search of his Houstonresidence authorities seized
(25:11):
cash and weapons but found nocult-related items or clues
about Constanzo's location.
Houston police suspectedConstanzo might be hiding in the
city as he was connected to afailed $20 million cocaine
operation busted there in June1988.
Investigators discoveredritualistic candles, an altar
(25:32):
and paperwork bearing Rivera'sname at the house, suggesting
Constanzo had purchased severalproperties in Houston and may
have frequented one of theselocations.
Serafine Sr cooperated with USofficials and was sentenced to
18 months in prison, released inJune 1990 and returned to
Brownsville.
Released in June 1990, andreturned to Brownsville that
(25:54):
same day.
Mexican police raided one ofConstanzo's properties in
Atizapan, mexico City,uncovering a stash of homosexual
pornography and a hidden ritualchamber with an altar.
This led them to questionmembers of Mexico City's
homosexual community forpossible leads on Constanzo's
(26:15):
whereabouts.
Despite finding altars andother ritualistic objects, no
evidence linked the property toany murders.
No men were apprehended, butauthorities arrested Maria
Teresa Quintana Rodriguez, thesister of one of Constanzo's
lovers and henchmen.
Additionally, aldrete's purseand personal belongings were
found at the property, promptingsuspicions that Constanzo might
(26:37):
have killed her because sheknew too much about his cult.
Police noted they did not seeAldrete with the group upon
their arrival in Mexico City andspeculated that Constanzo could
have buried her somewhere inthe city.
However, us authoritiesbelieved Aldrete may have
intentionally left herbelongings behind to mislead
(26:58):
investigators and fake her death.
On April 24th, police arrestedVictor Manuel Antunes Flores and
Salvador Antonio Villaluz, whowere hiding in one of
Constanzo's properties in theJuarez neighborhood.
The Mexico City police noticedsimilarities between the
Matamoros murders and a seriesof killings in Mexico City from
(27:21):
1987 to 1989.
After consulting with localwitchcraft practitioners and
sorcerers, they learned thatConstanzo was likely hiding in
Cuauhtémoc, a borough of thecity.
Another source provided anaddress in the nearby Veronica
Anzures neighborhood.
Sixteen officers weredispatched to search the area.
(27:42):
They spoke to a shoemaker at alocal supermarket who claimed to
have seen a woman resemblingAldrete.
While there, they spotted a manattempting to buy large
quantities of groceries with USdollars.
They discreetly followed himback to an apartment on Rio Sena
and identified him as De Leon,who was buying supplies for
(28:02):
Constanzo.
By the end of the week, thepolice were certain of
Constanzo's location.
On May 6th 1989, they surroundedthe building, waiting for
traffic to subside beforelaunching their raid.
However, before the operationbegan, a black vehicle pulled up
in front of the apartmentcomplex, prompting the police to
investigate.
(28:23):
From his window, constanzo sawthe officers and opened fire.
He threw golden coins and papermoney out the window and burned
some on a stove.
He threw golden coins and papermoney out the window and burned
some on a stove.
After exhausting his ammunition, Constanzo, growing
increasingly desperate, orderedDe Leon to kill him and Quintana
(28:51):
Rodriguez to avoid capture.
De Leon hesitated, butConstanzo slapped him and
threatened him with eternalsuffering if he disobeyed.
Resolute Constanzo huggedQuintana Rodriguez and De Leon,
shot them both with a machinegun while they huddled in a
closet.
When the police stormed thesmoke-filled apartment, aldrete
ran out screaming that Constanzowas dead.
(29:12):
De Leon later confessed thatConstanzo had lost his mind
during the standoff, shoutingthat everything was lost and
insisting that no one would havehis money.
He also admitted toparticipating in Kilroy's murder
and other killings at SantaElena.
Though he claimed thatConstanzo committed most of the
murders himself, aldrete deniedany involvement, stating she had
(29:35):
only learned of the killingswhen she saw them reported on
television.
She claimed she was stillundergoing initiation into the
cult and had been held captiveby Constanzo during their time
in hiding in Mexico City.
When asked if she was in lovewith Constanzo, she denied it,
asserting she was merely hisfollower At the scene.
The police arrested Aldrete DeLeon, oreja Ochoa, juan Carlos
(29:59):
Fragoso and Jorge Montes.
Later that day they alsodetained Maria de Lourdes Guerro
Lopez and Maria del RocíoCuevas Guerra, two other
cultists renting one ofConstanzo's apartments.
The suspects were charged withhomicide, criminal association,
assaulting an officer andproperty damage.
(30:19):
Concerned that Constanzo mighthave staged his death,
investigators conducted afingerprint analysis which
confirmed the body was indeedhis, despite rumours.
Constanzo's 9mm Uzi submachinegun.
Investigators conducted afingerprint analysis which
confirmed the body was indeedhis.
Despite rumours, Constanzo's9mm Uzi submachine gun and a
supposed suitcase were neverformally recorded as seized
items by the police.
On May 15th, a judge deniedbail for the suspects as the
(30:44):
charges against them carriedsentences totalling over 50
years in prison.
The charges against themcarried sentences totaling over
50 years in prison.
On August 27th 1989, omarFrancisco Orea Ochoa was
admitted to a hospital in SantaMartha, acatitla after being
diagnosed with AIDS.
(31:04):
Police had identified him,along with Aldrete, as one of
Constanzo's lovers.
However, aldrete showed nosigns of the disease.
Aurea Ochoa died on February11th 1990.
On June 2nd 1989, salvador VidalGarcia Alarcón, a police chief
with the Federal Judicial Police, was indicted for drug
trafficking.
Aldrete and other cult membershad identified him as the
(31:27):
group's contact within thepolice force.
Aldrete claimed Constanzo hadtold her that he had killed two
men on Garcia Alarcon's behalf.
The police chief, however,insisted that his relationship
with Constanzo was purelyspiritual, saying he had been
possessed by spirits at a youngage and sought Constanzo for
help.
Garcia Alarcon was not chargedwith Kilroy's murder or any
(31:52):
other killings linked to thecult.
In August 1990, de Leon wassentenced to 30 years in prison
for the murders of Constanzo,and Quintana Rodríguez, fragoso
and Montes received 35-yearsentences for unrelated murder
charges.
Reyes Bustamante, the caretakerof the Santa Elena ranch, was
(32:14):
charged with aiding in thecover-up but was released on
December 11, 1990, after postinga $500 bond.
On June 10, 1993, drugtrafficking charges against
Ovidio and Ponce Torres weredropped in the US without
explanation.
On May 3rd 1994, aldrete wassentenced to 62 years in prison,
(32:36):
while cult members ElioSerafine Jr Martinez Salinas and
Serna Valdez each received67-year sentences.
In a press interview, Kilroy'sparents expressed relief at the
sentencing of the cultists.
The charges against themincluded multiple homicides 31
years.
Possession of narcotics 12years.
(32:58):
Organized crime involvement 5years.
Police impersonation 2 years.
Illegal body desecration 2years.
Illegal firearm possession 10years, and possession of weapons
exclusive to the Mexican armedforces 5 years.
The judge noted that Aldretereceived a shorter sentence
(33:18):
because she was not charged withpossession of military-grade
weapons, a crime carrying amaximum penalty of 5 years.
He also explained that Mexico'sjudicial system caps the
maximum sentence for capitalmurder at 50 years.
Although Mexico does not haveparole, prisoners can petition
for sentence reductions throughappeal courts and, if denied,
(33:41):
can file for a writ of amparo toseek further relief.
On March 27th 1998, a Mexicanfederal court reduced the
sentences of Elio Serna Valdezand Martinez Salinas by 17 years
(34:02):
, lowering them from 67 years tothe maximum 50 years allowed
under Mexican law.
This reduction reflected thecommon practice in Mexico, where
sentences for serious crimesthat exceed 50 years are often
adjusted on appeal.
The cult members wereconsidered eligible for this
sentence reduction as first-timeoffenders.
(34:23):
Elio was transferred to aprison in Ciudad Victoria,
tamaulipas, while Serna Valdezand Martinez Salinas were sent
to Federal Social ReadaptationCenter no 1 in Almaloya State of
Mexico.
As of 2009, only two suspects,ovidio and Ponce Torres,
(34:44):
remained at large and were stillwanted in Mexico for Kilroy's
murder.
In a 2003 press interview,aldrete denied any involvement
in Kilroy's murder or the cultkillings, insisting that
investigators could never trulyunderstand what happened at
Santa Elena because the primarywitness, constanzo, was dead.
She further alleged that thepolice had concealed the
(35:06):
identities of high-profileindividuals associated with
Constanzo to protect themselves.
Declaring her belief in God,she maintained her innocence and
refused to seek forgivenessfrom society for crimes she
claimed she did not commit.
The following year, shepublicly stated that she had
been tortured into confessing,recounting how she was stripped
(35:29):
naked, blindfolded, hung upsidedown, beaten and had her
toenails pulled out.
She claimed the abuse was sosevere that doctors later told
her she would never be able tohave children.
In the early 2000s, aldretereleased an autobiography
detailing her introduction toConstanzo and his group, her
(35:50):
alleged captivity by Constanzo,the abuse she suffered at the
hands of authorities and heraccount of the events.
According to her, she visitedConstanzo in Mexico City and was
taken hostage when he suspectedshe might betray him to the
police.
Al-dretay maintained thatneither Constanzo nor his
followers knew about theMatamoros killings until the
(36:11):
police began searching for them.
They went into hiding out offear for their lives.
She described her treatment injail, including physical abuse,
psychological torture and sexualassault, and asserted that her
trial was unfair.
Her account of Constanzo'sdeath differed from the official
version.
She claimed police executed himduring the raid on the
(36:34):
apartment.
She also criticized theauthorities for burning down the
shack in Santa Elena, arguingthat it likely contained crucial
evidence such as thefingerprints of the true
murderers.
In a 2014 interview, serafineand Martinez Salinas declared
their innocence and offeredtheir perspectives on the case.
(36:55):
Serafine accused FederalJudicial Police Commander Juan
Benitez Ayala of targeting himsolely because of his family
ties to Elio and Ovidio.
He stated that he was notarrested at the ranch, but
rather at Elio's in-law's housein Matamoros, a Houston native
who had moved to Brownsville forcollege.
(37:15):
Serafine said he was visitinghis family in Matamoros when he
was detained.
He claimed he was tortured byMexican and US authorities in
Matamoros to coerce a confessionand threatened with death if he
spoke English.
During his statement, a TexasSouthmost College student
asserted that he knew whoAldrete was, but had no personal
(37:36):
connection to her.
He also stated that he hadnever met Constanzo and was
unaware that the cult was usinghis family ranch.
He further maintained that hedid not dig up any bodies and
was only brought to the ranchafter the exhumation had already
occurred.
Martinez Salinas, on the otherhand, stated that he was coerced
(37:58):
into confessing because he wasa neighbor of the Santa Elena
ranch and a driver for theHernandez family.
He claimed he was beaten andtaken to the ranch where he was
forced to pose with the exhumedbodies.
When asked if he had ever metConstanzo, he said he had only
seen him at the ranch with theHernandez family but never spoke
to him.
(38:18):
Martinez Salinas describedbeing arrested while searching
for a car part at Elio'sin-law's house.
He mentioned that he had knownAldrete for years, having dated
one of her sisters, and hadnever heard her speak about the
cult, only about her studies andmarriage.
He added that Elio and Ovidionever discussed the cult with
(38:39):
him or invited him to join.
After Kilroy's death wasconfirmed, the media quickly
characterized the drugtrafficking group and their
religious practices as Satanists.
Most US outlets focused on thesensational aspect of Satanism,
(38:59):
giving little attention to therampant drug-related violence
that plagued northern Mexico.
This narrow portrayal failed toprovide a complete picture of
what happened in Matamoros.
Some reports inaccuratelyconcluded that the discovery of
human body parts in a largemetal pot was proof of
cannibalism, mistakenlyconflating the group's practices
(39:20):
with the stereotypical image ofSatanist rituals involving the
consumption of human remains.
Meanwhile, other journalistssuggested that Constanzo
worshipped Cadiem Pembe, thedevil figure in Palo Mayombe,
and that Kilroy's mutilation andsecretive burial aligned with
certain occult traditions.
(39:42):
As the media frenzy overSatanism subsided, several
Afro-Cuban scholars argued thatConstanzo's actions stemmed from
a twisted personal convictionand psychopathic manipulation of
Palo Mayombe.
They believed he exploited thereligion for his financial gain,
criminal enterprise andpsychological needs, convincing
his followers that humansacrifice would shield them from
(40:05):
law enforcement.
Others posited that Constanzogenuinely believed Kilroy's
murder was necessary, accordingto his distorted interpretation
of Palo Mayombe.
From this perspective, thegruesome events in Matamoros
were less about cultural contextand more about the potential
for such acts to occur anywhere,given the right blend of
(40:27):
fanaticism and delusion.
On the 20th anniversary of theirson's murder, kilroy's parents
returned to the Rio GrandeValley and Matamoros to express
their gratitude to those who hadsupported them during their
search.
Kilroy's father shared that thecommunity's vigilance and
willingness to report anysuspicious activities related to
(40:49):
his son's disappearance hadeased their grief.
His mother recalled receiving across from a woman in
Brownsville in 1989 whilesearching for her son.
It's a reminder every time thatI know the Lord was involved in
everything she said, gentlytouching the cross around her
neck, gently touching the crossaround her neck.
Helen Kilroy passed away fromALS in 2014 at the age of 70.
(41:19):
Now let's focus on Mark JamesKilroy, born on March 5, 1968 in
Chicago, illinois, to JamesWilliam Jim Kilroy, a chemical
engineer, and Helen JosephineKilroy, a volunteer paramedic.
Shortly after his birth, thefamily relocated from the
Midwest to Texas, eventuallysettling in the small town of
Santa Fe, just outside ofHouston, where Kilroy spent over
15 years alongside his brother,keith Richard Kilroy.
(41:42):
Kilroy and his family wereraised in a Catholic household.
They were active members of OurLady of Lourdes Catholic Church
in nearby Hitchcock, texas.
Kilroy was known for his strongacademic and athletic abilities
.
During his teenage years, heplayed baseball, basketball and
golf and was involved in the BoyScouts of America.
At Santa Fe High School, kilroywas an honours student and
(42:06):
student council member,graduating 14th in a class of
210 students.
After graduating in 1986, kilroyattended Southwest Texas State
University in San Marcos beforetransferring to Tarleton State
University in Stephenville on abasketball scholarship.
While at Tarleton, he joinedthe Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity.
(42:28):
However, he eventually shiftedhis focus from athletics to
academics.
While at Tarleton, he joinedthe Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity.
However, he eventually shiftedhis focus from athletics to
academics and transferred to theUniversity of Texas at Austin
to pursue a pre-med degree.
Thank you for joining us onthis journey through the shadows
of humanity.
On the End of Reason podcast.
(42:48):
As we conclude today's episode,remember that the pursuit of
truth never truly ends.
Until next time, stay vigilant,stay curious and never let go
of reason.
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