They Went to Play a Show — Then Vanished: 5 Bodies Found in Mexico Believed to Be Missing Band Members

Five bodies discovered along the Mexico border near southern Texas are believed to be those of a five-piece Mexican regional band who went missing on their way to play a show last weekend, according to new reports.

The Associated Press reported that Mexican authorities said Thursday that they believe the five bodies to be those of the members of Grupo Fugitivo, a Mexican regional band known in the area for playing parties and dances.

Their deaths are believed to be tied to cartels, though the five musicians’ murders are still under investigation, according to the AP, CBS News, and BBC.

According to the AP, Tamaulipas state prosecutors allege the five musicians were kidnapped while driving their SUV to play a show. Their bodies were discovered on the outskirts of Reynosa, a northern Mexican city along the Texas border.

Police have arrested nine suspects in connection with their deaths — all of whom have ties to the notorious Gulf Cartel, according to the outlet. Local media reports indicated the five victims’ bodies had been burnt.

The BBC reported that the band was made up of musicians between the ages of 20 and 40, who all played Mexican regional music, a type of genre that includes cumbia and corridos, and oftentimes pays homage to cartel leaders. 

BBC reported that it remains unclear whether the members of Grupo Fugitivo were targeted because of their music or simply the victims of random violence.

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The last time the band members were heard from was while they were on their way to play a show at a local venue on Sunday night, family members said, according to the AP. Some family members also said they received ransom demands, according to the outlet.

Authorities are still working to figure out a motive for the five musicians’ killings, according to the AP and BBC. PEOPLE has reached out to Irving Barrios Mojica, the attorney general of Tamaulipas, for an update on the investigation.