Charred bodies of 2 vigilante group members found in Mexican state of Michoacan

MORELIA, Mexico – Mexican vigilantes say two charred bodies found by police in the back of a pickup truck in the western state of Michoacan were members of their group.

Vigilantes leader Hipolito Mora says 52-year-old Rafael Sanchez and 49-year-old Jose Luis Torres were part of the “self-defence” forces in the Michoacan town of La Ruana.

Michoacan prosecutors say the men’s relatives went out looking for them after they did not make it home the previous night.

Family members found Sanchez’s truck with the burned bodies on Saturday, and police later found a bullet casing and a bullet in the vehicle. Authorities have not given any leads in the investigation.

La Ruana is where the vigilante movement began a year ago to chase the violent Knights Templar drug cartel out of their lands.