Villareal, "El Zeta Pichilo" Arrested By Nuevo León Police In Connection With The 17 Member Kombo Kolombia Band Massacre

José Isidro Cruz Villareal, aka, "El Pichilo"

Villareal was taken into custody on Sunday by Nuevo León police.

By H. Nelson Goodson

March 20, 2014

Monterrey,  Nuevo León, Mexico - On Sunday, José Isidro Cruz Villareal, aka, "El Pichilo," a known Zeta leader in the Monterrey region wanted for ordering the kidnapping of 18 and masterminding the massacre of 17 band members of the Kombo Kolombia group in January 25, 2013 has been taken into custody by Nuevo León police. Villareal ordered the kidnapping, torture and murder of the band members because Los Zetas financed the group and then the band began to perform in territory of their rival cartel members, the Gulf Cartel. Villareal was in charge of Zeta operations in the municipalities of Hidalgo, El Carmen, Mina and Abasolo.

More suspects sought in the Kombo Kolombia band massacre, according to authorities.  

On January 24, 2013, the band was playing at La Carreta bar on the outskirts of the municipality of Hidalgo for a private party of 50 people when a group of ten armed men entered the bar and kidnapped 18 members of the band at gun point.

The Kombo Kolombia band massacre occurred at an abandon ranch in Mina where the bodies of the band members were discarded in a well after being tortured and executed. 
One of the band members managed to escape and notified authorities about the massacre. He led police to where the bodies could be recovered. 
Villareal was one of 29 prisoners who escaped from the Nuevo León Apodaca Prison on February 19, 2012, where 34 prisoners were murdered during the escape.

Names of the Kombo Kolombia Vallenato style band members whose bodies were identified.

• José Antonio Villarreal Villarreal, 39;

•  Heiner Iván Cuéllar Pérez, 24;

• Víctor Ángel Santamaría Cruz, 43;

• José Baudelio Santos López, 38;

• Javier Flores Valerio, 29;

• Edgar Dimas Montes, 31;

• Francisco Javier Alfaro Hernández;

• Saúl Reynoso Sáenz, 30;

• Reyes Alejandro Mendoza Rodríguez, 25;

• Mario Alberto Beltrán Ortega, 24;

• Juan Ignacio Herrera Ortiz, 42;

• Juan Tomás Carrizales Rodríguez;

• Ricardo Alfonso Verduzco Sáenz, 27;

• Carlos Alberto Sánchez Aguirre, 37;

• José Rodríguez Rostro;

• Federico Iván Méndez; and

• José Francisco Jiménez Díaz.