Mexican authorities are investigating the discovery of six severed human heads found on a road between the central states of Puebla and Tlaxcala on Tuesday, August 19, 2025. The gruesome find occurred in an area typically considered among Mexico’s safest regions, where such extreme violence is uncommon.
The remains were first reported by drivers using a road that links the two states, according to the Tlaxcala State Attorney General’s Office. A 911 call was made at approximately 6:45 a.m. local time by someone reporting what appeared to be a human head on the side of the road.
All six heads belonged to men, though authorities have not released the victims’ identities, ages, or locations of residence. The prosecutor’s office noted that the location corresponds to the discovery, not the actual incident, suggesting the bodies may have been transported to the site.
At the scene, investigators discovered a pamphlet and banner containing a message about the violence being related to settling scores between gangs. The message was reportedly signed by a group calling itself “La Barredora,” which translates to “the sweeper.” Local media indicated the banner accused alleged perpetrators of carrying out violent activities in the area and issued warnings to rival gangs.
The heads were reportedly in a state of decomposition. Police officers and experts with the Institute of Forensic Sciences responded to the scene to conduct examinations and begin the initial investigation.
Both Puebla and Tlaxcala are generally considered safer travel destinations compared to other Mexican states. The US State Department has designated both states with Level 2 travel advisories, its second-lowest warning level. Tlaxcala accounts for just 0.5 percent of the 14,769 intentional homicides recorded in Mexico from January to July 2025, while Puebla accounts for 3.4 percent.
However, authorities acknowledge that due to their geographic location, both states face problems with criminal groups involved in drug trafficking, human trafficking, and fuel theft known as “huachicoleo.” This illegal fuel smuggling generates billions of dollars annually for the groups behind the activity.
The Tlaxcala prosecutor’s office announced that the discovery prompted the opening of a formal investigation. Officials stated they “will continue with the relevant investigations” to clarify what happened and hold accountable whoever is found responsible.
This incident comes amid a broader pattern of extreme violence in Mexico. In June 2025, authorities found 20 bodies along a road in northwest Sinaloa state, five of them headless. In March, the dismembered bodies of nine missing students were found by the side of a highway on the border of Puebla and Oaxaca, with a bag of hands belonging to the students discovered nearby.
Messages are often left on victims’ bodies by cartels seeking to threaten their rivals or punish behavior they claim violates their rules. Such extreme violence, including decapitation, is more common in northern states and along the Pacific coast, where drug cartels operate extensively.
The discovery also occurred on the same day that another head and other human remains were found in the western city of Colima, highlighting the broader scope of violence across multiple Mexican states.
The timing coincides with President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration implementing a major crackdown on fentanyl trafficking. Recent months have seen increased pressure on criminal networks, with Mexico sending 26 high-ranking cartel figures to the United States in the latest major deal with American authorities.
Since 2006, when the government deployed federal troops to combat the country’s powerful drug cartels, approximately 480,000 people have died in drug-related violence throughout Mexico. An additional 130,000 people remain missing.