According to the State of Mexico Attorney General’s Office, Melendez, 38, was the keyboardist for the renowned independent rock band Camilo Séptimo. His wife, Ana Paula, 35, was four months pregnant. The fourth victim was identified as 21-year-old Alida Romero Victorio, who worked as the family’s nanny.
Preliminary examinations revealed that three of the victims, including the young girl, had been shot in the head, while the fourth victim was shot in the back. Two of the victims were found with their hands tied. The family dog was also found dead with its legs bound.
In a painful twist, authorities found a six-year-old boy alive and unharmed inside the apartment. Investigators believe the crime occurred between 5:30 p.m. and 7:40 p.m. on Tuesday.
Immediately after the killings were discovered, police secured the building as investigators began collecting evidence and reviewing surveillance footage. A wide-ranging investigation was also launched to uncover the motive and determine the role of those involved.
In a swift development, Mexican authorities announced the arrest of two men in Mexico City less than 24 hours after the crime. Prosecutors identified the suspects as Diego Sebastián “N” and Gerardo “N.” The first was reportedly an acquaintance of Melendez and is suspected of being the possible perpetrator, while the second is under investigation for his alleged involvement.
Mexico’s Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection, Omar García Harfuch, said one of the suspects had exploited a relationship of trust with one of the victims to gain entry to the home. Authorities have not yet established a definitive motive, stressing that the investigation remains ongoing and that the detainees’ legal status will be disclosed at the appropriate stage of the proceedings.
The crime has sparked widespread shock across Mexican society. Camilo Séptimo mourned Melendez and his family, remembering his career and artistic contributions, amid growing demands for the full circumstances of the killings to be uncovered and those responsible to be held accountable.