Murder of priest in Mexico has shocked local communities after Father Román de la Cruz was shot dead on Tuesday, 15 September, in a remote area of the country. Serving since 2024 as parish priest of Santa Cruz in the Diocese of Huejutla and as coordinator of the diocesan Commission for Prophetic Pastoral Care, Father Román exercised his ministry in a region heavily impacted by rival criminal organizations fighting over stolen fuel trafficking routes. His body was found abandoned alongside a highway accompanied by a threatening note whose exact text remains undisclosed.
Following the tragic news, the Mexican Bishops’ Conference issued an official statement transmitted to the pontifical charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN):
“We express our indignation and sadness over the crime and demand that the authorities carry out an exhaustive investigation to clarify yet another episode of extreme violence against the Church in the country”.
Reports from the Mexican Catholic Multimedia Centre indicate that the Attorney General’s Office has officially opened an investigation into the murder.
Demands for justice amid widespread insecurity
The Diocese of Huejutla also issued an urgent appeal regarding the broader security crisis facing the nation. Bishop José Acosta Beltrán called for immediate judicial action:
“We call attention to the alarming situation of violence experienced in Mexico, asking that justice be done and that neither this case nor the other crimes that have affected the country go unpunished”.
Multiple regions across Mexico continue to suffer extreme violence from drug cartels and organized crime, where clergy and pastoral workers regularly face threats, extortion, and physical attacks due to their social and spiritual presence.
Regional perspective in ACN’s Religious Freedom Report
The ongoing risks faced by Church workers are highlighted in the latest edition of ACN’s Religious Freedom in the World Report. The document places the murder of priest in Mexico within a broader pattern of instability across Latin America and the Caribbean:
-
Religious leaders killed: At least 13 religious leaders were murdered in Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras during 2023 and 2024.
-
Pastoral workers and laypeople: An additional 16 missionaries and laypeople were killed in pastoral settings in Ecuador, Haiti, Honduras, and Mexico, along with nine laypeople killed in Mexico in early 2025.
While not all instances involve documented hatred of the faith, ACN notes that ministry in high-conflict areas carries severe exposure:
“Religious leaders occupy a significant place in their communities, and their influence makes them targets for attacks and intimidation. The same applies to those who dare to criticise authoritarian regimes. They are seen as a threat and can be subject to reprisals”.
Furthermore, the report notes recurring instances of extortion against local churches and religious personnel, often under the guise of demanding protection fees against opposing criminal factions.
