Disappearance of Zane Plemmons

Disappearance of Zane Plemmons, a Mexican-American photojournalist who does freelance work for the Sinaloa newspaper El Debate, occurred on 21 May 2012 in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico after covering a shootout.[1][2]

Zane Plemmons
Zane Alejandro Plemmons Rosales
Bornc. 1982
Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico
Disappeared21 May 2012 (age 30)
Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico
StatusMissing for 8 years, 8 months and 13 days
CitizenshipUnited States and Mexican
EducationSan Antonio College
University of Texas at San Antonio
OccupationFreelance photojournalist
EmployerEl Debate (Sinaloa)

Plemmons was last seen leaving from a hotel to photograph a shootout between rival drug cartels. He did not return from the scene and has been missing ever since.[3]

The investigation into his disappearance is ongoing and the US Consulate there is tracking its progress.[4][5][6] One year later, the Plemmons case is still open.[7]

Early life

Zane Alejandro Plemmons Rosales was born in Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico, and grew up traveling through the border that divides Mexico and California and Texas. His father was a former U.S. Marine, while his mother owns a hair salon near the city of San Antonio, Texas.[8] Plemmons attended Medina Valley High School in Castroville, Texas, which is on the outskirts of San Antonio. From there, he went on to San Antonio College and the University of Texas at San Antonio.[9][10]

Plemmons is a dual citizen of the United States and Mexico, and had epilepsy.[5][11][12]

In 2009, Plemmons returned to his hometown to work in several jobs after living in San Antonio for several years. The following year, he began to work as a freelance journalist for several local newspapers, covering crime beats and writing articles on the poor living conditions of people who lived in the area.[8] His work as a crime reporter, however, brought him some trouble; in 2010, alleged drug traffickers attacked the newspaper offices in Mazatlán, and gunmen left blood outside Plemmons' house. He moved back to San Antonio and lived with his family, after they had asked him to return. He made plans to revisit Mazatlán and see his family there then head to Costa Rica to visit more family and work on his blog before starting a new book project that he had signed up for.[8]

Career

While in Mexico, Plemmons worked as a freelance journalist and photographer, specializing in crime photography. He began his career writing for the English-language newspaper in Mexico called Mazatlan Pacific Pearl.[10] Since then he had covered the Mexican Drug War, particularly the doings of the Sinaloa Cartel in the criminal underworld, and worked for the Sinaloa newspaper El Debate prior to his disappearance.[1][2]

Disappearance

Plemmons was last seen at the Hotel Alamada in the city center of Nuevo Laredo.[4] He had temporarily left the hotel to go cover a nearby shooting where Los Zetas were active.[1][8] Hotel employees told San Antonio television station KABB-TV that a couple of anonymous, masked men came to gather all of Plemmon's belongings.[1][13] Plemmons' family says that he had plans to visit relatives in Mexico after he left the shooting but never arrived by bus.[9][14] El Debate has not heard from him since the shootout.[1] According to Freedom House, Plemmon's case is the third instance of a journalist having disappeared in Mexico that year.[1]

Mexico City
Nuevo Laredo
Mazatlán
Mentioned locations within Mexico relative to the capital Mexico City.

Context

News organizations across Mexico, including Nuevo Laredo, have muted their reporting of the Mexican Drug War as a result of intimidation from violence, kidnapping, and murder of working journalists by warring drug cartels.[8][13] For example, El Mañana has stopped its coverage of the drug war.[4]

In Nuevo Laredo, Los Zetas struggle for control with the Gulf Cartel.[13]

In addition, a travel warning issued by the US Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, said, "(People) should defer non-essential travel to the state of Sinaloa except the city of Mazatlan where (they) should exercise caution particularly late at night and in the early morning."[15]

Prior to Plemmon's disappearance, US journalist Mariano Castillo of the San Antonio Express-News was moved out of Mexico because of credible threats on his life.[16]

Impact

Plemmons was doing freelance criminal photography in the city of Nuevo Laredo when he went missing. Due to the escalating crime rate, Nuevo Laredo newspapers have temporarily ceased reporting on stories concerning organized crime.[13]

Reactions

Zane Plemmons' disappearance was reported widely in traditional and social media around Texas.[2]

Plemmons' family, still uncertain of his location, believes his disappearance may be associated with the drug cartel.[8] On 7 July 2012, his family held a candlelight vigil for Plemmons in a parking lot at Westover Hills Assembly of God.[9] The vigil drew 80 people who came to share stories about Plemmons and be with his family.[12][17]

On 22 May 2013, his family met one year after his disappearance. Plemmons' father said, "We haven't lost him. We've just misplaced him."[7]

See also

References
  1. Bruner, Raisa (26 June 2012). "US Journalist Disappears in Mexico Drug Cartel Stronghold". ABC News. Archived from the original on 20 December 2012. Retrieved 18 December 2012.
  2. "Texas Reporter Reportedly Missing in Nuevo Laredo". KGNS-TV. 23 June 2012. Archived from the original on 18 December 2012. Retrieved 18 December 2012.
  3. Espinosa, Verónica (22 June 2012). "Buscan a periodista independiente desaparecido en Nuevo Laredo". Proceso (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 December 2012.
  4. "Autoridades de EU buscan a periodista estadounidese desaparecido en México". CNNMéxico (in Spanish). Turner Broadcasting System. 29 June 2012. Archived from the original on 2 January 2013. Retrieved 18 December 2012.
  5. White, Grace (June 2012). "Journalist Missing In Mexico". KABB. Retrieved 18 December 2012.
  6. "México: Organizações denunciam assassinatos de jornalistas". Diário Vermelho (in Portuguese). 16 October 2012. Retrieved 18 December 2012.
  7. Buch, Jason (22 May 2013). "A year later, S.A. man still missing". MySanAntonio.com. Retrieved 2013-05-24.
  8. Buch, Jason (28 June 2012). "Case of missing S.A. man leaves family in dark". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved 18 December 2012.
  9. "State Department Investigating Journalist Disappearance". KABB. Retrieved 18 December 2012.
  10. Roberts, Briana (6 March 2009). "Former student calls journalism 'perfect job'". The Ranger. San Antonio College. Archived from the original on 16 April 2013. Retrieved 18 December 2012.
  11. "SIP celebra firma de leyes que protegen a periodistas y activistas en México". El Comercio (Ecuador) (in Spanish). 22 June 2012. Retrieved 18 December 2012.
  12. Lloyd, Jennifer R. (7 July 2012). "Family holds vigil for man missing in Mexico". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved 18 December 2012.
  13. "Texas Photographer Missing in Nuevo Laredo-Had Been Tracking Actions of CDS". Borderland Beat. 2012-06-24. Retrieved 2012-09-27.
  14. "Denuncian desaparición de periodista". El Mexicano. 2012-06-23. Retrieved 2012-10-16.
  15. "Travel Warning U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Bureau of Consular Affairs". Bureau of Consular Affairs of the United States Department of State. 20 November 2012. Archived from the original on 27 November 2012. Retrieved 18 December 2012.
  16. Garfield, Bob (20 July 2007). "Means Streets of Laredo: Transcript". On the Media. Archived from the original on 15 April 2013. Retrieved 18 December 2012.
  17. Price, Robert (7 July 2012). "Family Holds Vigil for Journalist Missing in Mexico". KABB. Retrieved 18 December 2012.
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