Official says Mexico tipped off to mountain hideout of cartel boss killed in fight with troops

LAZARO CARDENAS, Mexico—A Mexican official says the recently killed leader of the Knights Templar drug cartel had been hiding out in a wood hut in the mountains and people in the area tipped off security forces to its existence.

The official says the 43-year-old Nazario Moreno was riding a mule near the hut when he was confronted by troops early Sunday and killed in a gunbattle.

Moreno had been hiding since being declared dead after a 2010 shootout with federal police, even though officials found no corpse.

The official says Moreno was carrying two letters, one addressed to his daughter and the other to God.

The official wouldn’t reveal their content.

The official agreed to talk about the hunt for Moreno only if granted anonymity because the details haven’t been made public.