CSW calls for full investigation into murder of pastor and wife

CSW is calling on the Mexican government to ensure that a full investigation is conducted and perpetrators are held to account after a Protestant pastor and his wife were both killed in a targeted attack in Irapuato, Guanajuato State, Mexico, on 15 October.

Pastor Ángel González of Irapuato Calvary Chapel and his wife Irán Montes were returning home and preparing to pull their vehicle into their garage when masked and armed individuals opened fire on them.

The incident took place at approximately 1am in the Villas de Dorado residential neighbourhood at the intersection of Edison and Galileo streets. According to reports, local residents heard the gunfire and called emergency services, who arrived at the scene within minutes. Pastor González was declared dead at the scene, while Ms Montes died in hospital a few hours later.

Following the attack, municipal and state authorities launched a search operation to locate those responsible and officers from the Irapuato Secretariat of Citizen Security reported the arrest of one man allegedly linked to the killings. Sources told CSW, however, that no additional information has been provided to the public, noting that it is clear from the circumstances that the couple had been ambushed and that despite rumours of a robbery, nothing was taken. The homicide occurred against a backdrop of persistent violence in Guanajuato, a region that has consistently recorded the highest number of homicides in the country, largely due to territorial disputes between organised crime groups.

Pablo Vargas, National Director of Impulso18, CSW’s counterpart in Mexico, said: ‘This double murder in Irapuato highlights the context of violence faced by religious leaders in Mexico and once again brings public attention to the risks faced by religious leaders and faith communities in regions plagued by violence. Specialised organisations have repeatedly warned of the risks faced by clergy members and religious leaders in regions where criminal structures operate. These attacks can be linked to the social role that faith leaders play within their communities. Their work, which includes supporting victims, denouncing violence, mediating conflicts, and providing moral leadership, can leave them vulnerable to criminal actors.’

The couple is survived by two children ages 17 and 18. Hours after the crime, Calvary Chapel Magazine confirmed the deaths of the pastor and his wife in a message addressed to the religious community. In its statement, the church expressed its condolences to their family and loved ones, while also highlighting the commitment, service, and spiritual guidance that the couple had provided to the congregation for years.

CSW’s Director of Advocacy and Americas Team Leader Anna Lee Stangl said: ‘We call on the Mexican federal government to work actively with Guanajuato State security forces to conduct a full and expeditious investigation into the ambush and murder of Pastor Ángel González and Irán Montes and prosecute those responsible. While no motive has yet been established, this brutal act takes place within a context of high levels of impunity and the longtime targeting of religious leaders by organised criminal groups, often because of their influence on the same communities that criminal groups wish to control. We grieve with and offer our condolences to the children of Pastor González and Ms Montes and the Irapuato Calvery Chapel congregation.’