Los Huipas

Los Huipas refers to the media-coined nickname of a group of Mexican serial killers, all of whom were members of the Mayo ethnic group.{{Cite web|url=https://culturacolectiva.com/historia/la-historia-de-los-asesinos-seriales-de-sonora|title=History of the serial killers in Sonora|date=May 27, 2016|website=culturacolectiva.com|language=es|access-date=March 3, 2020|quote=In the town of Huatabampo, Sonora, a story floats on the streets that will leave you feeling helpless. In 1949, there were four subjects who castrated and murdered their enemies, a cruel and excessive sample of the unusual and mystical reality of the Mayan Indians. This murder story traveled beyond a geographical barrier to the point that the simple phrase "Beware of Los Huipas" marked a time of terror and anxiety...}} They are considered the first serial killers of indigenous descent in the country.{{Citation|title=E56: Los Huipas (with Raúl G. Meneses)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIbAgeg5PsU|language=es-ES|access-date=March 25, 2020}}

Members

Eusebio Yocupicio Soto was the leader.

The rest of the members included:

Adelaido Huipas Quijano
Leonardo Yocupicio Huipas
Basilio Humo Valenzuela{{Cite web|url=https://www.infocajeme.com/opinion/2016/07/el-ultimo-fusilamiento-en-sonora/|title=InfoCajeme.com: Tesopaco: The last execution in Sonora|website=InfoCajeme.com|access-date=March 25, 2020|quote=When the death sentences were applied to these people, there were also other inmates who were awaiting their application in prison, among them, four Mayan indigenous people whose crimes shocked Sonoran society at the time. They were Adelaido Huipas Quijano, Leonardo Yocupicio Huipas, Eusebio Yocupicio Soto and Basilio Humo Valenzuela. However, despite the fact that the judge of the First Instance sentencing them to death, they appealed the sentence, and it was later changed to 30 years, having to serve in the state capital. Eusebio Yocupicio Sota and Basilio Humo Valenzuela died in the Hermosilla prison in Sonora, the other two were imprisoned for thirty years.}}

Background and crimes

All natives of Huatabampo, Sonora, the men were first and second cousins, whom allegedly had incestual homosexual relationships with one another. Rumors about their lifestyles led to them being marginalized and discriminated against by the rest of the community.{{Cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/es/article/crimen-y-confesion-de-los-huipas-0000682-v8n9/|title=Los huipas: los míticos asesinos seriales de Sonora|last=Yocupicio|first=Emilia Buitimea|date=2015-10-21|website=Vice|language=es|access-date=2020-03-25}} Motivated by their desire for revenge, between 1949 and 1950, the gang ended up murdering seven men, who had previously ridiculed them.{{Cite web|url=https://www.elgrafico.mx/especiales/asesinos-seriales/11-03-2016/huipas-desollaron-siete-por-burlas-homofobicas|title=Huipas: seven were skinned for homophobic ridicule|website=www.elgrafico.mx|language=es|access-date=March 25, 2020}} Using deception, they would lure their victims to a secluded hut, where they stabbed, strangled, or beat them to death. After the killings, they would mutilate the corpses, preserving the castrated genitals from the bodies.

Arrest and imprisonment

They were arrested on April 13, 1950, following a complaint from Felipe Buitimia, the father of Los Huipas' last victim - Vicente Buitimia.{{Cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/es/article/crimen-y-confesion-de-los-huipas-0000682-v8n9/|title=Los huipas: los míticos asesinos seriales de Sonora|last=Yocupicio|first=Emilia Buitimea|date=2015-10-21|website=Vice|language=es|access-date=2020-03-25}} The four were sentenced to death, but after the abolition of the death penalty in Mexico, each of their sentences were commuted to 30 years imprisonment. Eusebio and Basilio died in prison from tuberculosis, while Adelaido and Leonardo served out their sentences fully, with nothing known about them after their release.

References

Category:Incidents of violence against men

Category:Mexican serial killers

Category:Murder in Mexico

Category:People from Huatabampo

Category:Serial killers who died in prison custody

Category:Violence against men in North America

Category:20th-century murderers