Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua – The Chihuahua State Attorney General’s Office (FGE) announced yesterday, January 8, 2026, that it has identified 170 of the 386 bodies discovered in the “Plenitud” crematorium in Ciudad Juárez. The bodies were found in unsanitary conditions on June 26, 2025, and the scandal has led to 114 fraud complaints from families who received fake ashes.
Investigation Progress and Identifications
Of the 170 identified bodies, 156 have already been returned to their respective families, according to the FGE’s Directorate of Forensic Services and Sciences. The discovery of the bodies occurred fortuitously when municipal police responded to a report of a suspected murder and found a decomposing head in a hearse-like truck.
The hundreds of bodies were found stacked in various rooms of the “Plenitud” crematorium, some with death dates dating back several years. Among the unidentified, 213 are men, 165 are women, and eight are of undetermined sex due to their semi-skeletal state.
Legal Proceedings Against Crematorium Owner
José Luis Arellano Cuarón, the owner of the “Plenitud” crematorium, remains in preventive detention and is facing charges related to illegal burials, unlawful exhumations, and disrespect for human remains. Carlos Manuel Salas, the District Attorney for the Northern Zone, stated that the Public Ministry will seek the maximum penalty against Arellano Cuarón. Due to the accumulation of penalties for each offense and each body, the sentence could exceed 70 years in prison.
Efforts to Identify Remaining Bodies and Fraud Allegations
On November 29, 2025, the FGE sent 110 samples from the recovered bodies to the National Institute of Genomic Medicine (Inmegen) to establish genetic profiles. This collaboration, requested from the National Search Commission, aims to identify the remains and return them to their families.
Furthermore, 300 genetic profiles have been collected from families who filed fraud complaints, believing that the bodies of their deceased relatives were not cremated. Once the Inmegen results are available, corresponding comparisons will be made to match the remains with their families.
Community Impact and Ongoing Investigation
The scandal has deeply affected the community of Ciudad Juárez, highlighting serious ethical and legal breaches within the funeral industry. The ongoing investigation is focused on ensuring justice for the affected families and preventing similar incidents in the future.
The FGE continues its work to identify all remaining bodies and process the numerous fraud complaints, underscoring the commitment of authorities to resolve this distressing case.
Source: https://www.jornada.com.mx/noticia/2026/01/08/estados/fge-de-chihuahua-ha-identificado-170-de-los-cadaveres-encontrados-en-crematorio-de-ciudad-juarez
