Suspect Arrested in Paola Buenrostro Transfeminicide Case After Nearly a Decade
Mexico City, September 1, 2026 – Arturo “N,” the alleged perpetrator of the transfeminicide of Paola Buenrostro, a crime committed in 2016, was arrested this Monday in the State of Mexico. This arrest comes almost ten years after the event that significantly impacted the legal recognition of violence against trans women in the capital.
The Mexico City Attorney General’s Office (Fiscalía CDMX) confirmed the apprehension of Arturo “N” in the El Tráfico neighborhood, Nicolás Romero municipality, State of Mexico. The arrest concludes a nearly decade-long search following the initial warrant issued against him.
A Decade-Long Search Culminates in Arrest
To locate the accused, the Investigative Police (PDI) pursued multiple lines of investigation and conducted field operations across Mexico City and the State of Mexico. Authorities also sought assistance from the Baja California State Attorney General’s Office. These efforts allowed investigators to rule out various locations, ultimately narrowing their focus to Nicolás Romero.
In April 2023, the Fiscalía CDMX offered a reward of up to 500,000 pesos for information leading to the location and capture of the suspect. Finally, PDI agents apprehended him on August 31.
The First Recognized Transfeminicide in Mexico City
Paola Buenrostro’s case was the first to be formally recognized as a transfeminicide by a Mexico City authority: the then Human Rights Commission of the Federal District (CDHDF). The commission’s Recommendation 02/2019 documented serious deficiencies in the original investigation.
Among the shortcomings highlighted were the failure to recognize Paola’s gender identity and the secondary victimization suffered by one of her companions, who was not acknowledged by authorities as a member of Paola’s social family or as an indirect victim. The Fiscalía CDMX accepted the recommendation and, in 2021, issued a public apology to Paola’s memory and her social family.
Details of the Tragic Night in 2016
In the early hours of September 30, 2016, Paola Buenrostro entered Arturo “N’s” vehicle after he solicited her services. Moments later, she called for help from her companions, and two gunshots were heard.
Witnesses who approached the car found Paola unconscious in the passenger seat. The suspect was holding a firearm. Paola died from the gunshot wounds. The investigation immediately pointed to Arturo “N,” and an arrest warrant was issued on October 19, 2016. However, he managed to evade authorities for years.
The “Paola Buenrostro Law” and Institutional Legacy
The sustained demand for justice from Paola’s social family and the mobilization of trans organizations and collectives led to the reform known as the “Paola Buenrostro Law.” This legislation, enacted in 2024, incorporated transfeminicide into the Mexico City Penal Code.
The case also resulted in a 2023 agreement between the Fiscalía CDMX and Casa de las Muñecas Tiresias, A. C., aimed at providing care, shelter, advice, and support to LGBTTTIQ+ individuals, as well as promoting training and studies to improve their access to justice.
The Attorney General’s Office also supported the creation of the Tiresias Mausoleum, intended to provide dignified burial for deceased trans women whose bodies are not claimed. In February 2026, the agency issued a new Protocol for Action for the Care of LGBTTTIQ+ Persons.
Attorney General Pledges Rigorous Prosecution
“With this apprehension, we take a decisive step for Paola’s case to advance in the courts. We acknowledge the struggle of her social family and the trans community, who kept the demand for justice alive,” stated Bertha Alcalde Luján, Attorney General of Mexico City.
Alcalde Luján added that the Attorney General’s Office will pursue the case “with rigor and a gender perspective.” In accordance with the National Code of Criminal Procedures, Arturo “N” is considered innocent until a judicial body declares his responsibility through a sentence.
