By LGBTQ San Diego County News Staff
TIJUANA — The body of Omar Guido Chávez, a prominent LGBTQ+ bar owner in Tijuana, Mexico, was discovered early Friday morning, in the city’s Zona Centro neighborhood. Two people have been arrested in the case.
Chávez, 51, was owner of the popular Sodoma Nightclub & Drag Revue, located on La Revolucion where just last week he had celebrated his birthday. He had been missing since October 16, sparking a search led by his family, friends, and local LGBTQ community organizations. Chávez was last seen alive in the city’s Linda Vista neighborhood.
On Friday, October 18, an emergency call to authorities, led to Chávez’s vehicle, a gray JAC car, which had been abandoned on Second Street near Niños Héroes Avenue, near the Our Virgin of Guadalupe Cathedral in Zona Centro.. His remains were found inside the trunk of his vehicle. Chávez’s torso had been dismembered with his torso placed in a blue tub, and the remainder of his body found in a suitcase. A narco-banner, allegedly signed by the Sinaloa Cartel, was found in the back seat of the vehicle, containing threats aimed at a man named Juan Manuel Villaseñor Hernández.
The Cultural Community of Tijuana (COCUT) and the Rainbow Community of Baja California (CABC) expressed their outrage over Chávez’s murder on social media, demanding that the State Attorney General’s Office clarify the circumstances of his death. COCUT’s post stated, “We accompany family and close friends in the pain and grief of this loss.”
The investigation into Chávez’s death has shed light on growing tensions among local criminal groups. Chávez’s murder may be linked to territorial disputes between the Sinaloa Cartel and rival factions, including the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and remnants of the Arellano Félix Cartel, according to local reports. This rivalry has fueled violent incidents across Tijuana, with the criminal underworld battling for control of drug trafficking and other illicit activities in the region.
On Friday, two suspects, identified as “Gabriel N.” and “Juan Diego N.,” were arrested in connection with the case. It is common practice throughout Mexico to only identify criminal suspects by their first name and the initial of their last name.
Police apprehended the pair on Mayorca Street in the Hidalgo neighborhood after a brief foot chase. The suspects had attempted to flee when officers stopped their vehicle for driving without headlights. Upon their capture, authorities found marijuana in their possession, which is still illegal in Tijuana. Surveillance footage linked “Gabriel N.” to the abandonment of Chávez’s vehicle.
“Gabriel N.” has an active arrest warrant for kidnapping and is suspected of involvement in a local criminal cell. Both suspects were handed over to the State Attorney General’s Office for further investigation.
Authorities have not said whether the murder of Chávez is directly tied to a July 14, 2024 shooting that injured several people, including Juan Manuel Villaseñor Hernández. That shooting, in the Independencia neighborhood, targeted taco vendors; Guillermo Hernández and his son, Guillermo Hernández Jr.. Villaseñor is Guillermo’s nephew. At the scene, authorities discovered a narco-banner with threats directed at anyone supporting Villaseñor.
Further investigation revealed that Villaseñor and his mother-in-law were involved in operating a business that sold slot machines and illicit drugs, linking them to ongoing territorial disputes between criminal organizations in the region
LGBTQ San Diego County News has chosen not to release details in the messages found on either of the narco-banners.
A tribute to Chávez posted to the nightclubs Instagram page states, “Sodoma Night Club and all working staff regret to inform you, with deep sorrow, of the passing of Omar Guido Chávez, who was a great friend, boss, and excellent person in life.
We offer our condolences to family and close friends. We will always remember Omar Guido for his characteristic smile, his love for life, and his noble heart that believed in and helped many.
Join us this Sunday, October 27, to say goodbye to our great friend, starting at 10:30 p.m., with a show by guest artists. Rest in peace, Omar Guido Chávez, October 5, 1974 – October 18, 2024”
