Two men were arrested after the killings at an Atizapán de Zaragoza apartment, while the couple’s 6-year-old son survived unharmed.
ATIZAPÁN DE ZARAGOZA, Mexico — Jonathan Samuel Meléndez Ochoa, a 38-year-old keyboardist and co-founder of the Mexican band Camilo Séptimo, was killed along with his pregnant wife, their 3-year-old daughter and a 21-year-old woman who worked in their home, authorities said.
State of Mexico prosecutors said the four victims were found late Sept. 1 inside an apartment in a residential complex in Atizapán de Zaragoza, northwest of Mexico City. The family’s 6-year-old son was found alive and without signs of physical injury. Authorities arrested two men within hours and said one was a business associate of Meléndez who may have used a relationship of trust to enter the home. Investigators have not announced a final motive, and the suspects’ alleged roles remain under investigation.
Authorities said the killings occurred between about 5:30 p.m. and 7:40 p.m. Sept. 1. Municipal police reported finding the victims at about 11:50 p.m. Prosecutors said the deaths involved gunfire and that some of the victims had been restrained. The family’s dog was also found dead inside the residence. Officials have released only limited details about the sequence of the attack, and graphic aspects of the crime are not necessary to explain the investigation.
Meléndez’s wife, Ana Paula, was 35 and about four months pregnant, according to authorities and reports citing the prosecutor’s office. Their daughter was 3. Camilo Séptimo later identified the woman who worked with the family as Aleyda Romero. The band also publicly named the couple’s daughter in its tribute, but authorities have otherwise kept information about the surviving 6-year-old child limited. Officials said the boy was turned over to relatives after being found unharmed.
The State of Mexico prosecutor’s office identified the two detained men as Diego Sebastián “N” and Gerardo “N,” following Mexican practices that withhold full surnames of suspects in active criminal cases. Prosecutors described Diego Sebastián as a business associate of Meléndez and said he was considered a probable participant in the killings. The allegations have not been proven in court, and authorities said they would release additional information as the legal process advances.
Federal Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch said investigators believe one of the suspects may have taken advantage of a relationship of trust with a victim to gain access to the apartment. Authorities in the State of Mexico worked with federal officials and Mexico City security agencies to locate the two men. Officials said they were detained in less than 12 hours after the investigation began. Prosecutors have not publicly detailed all of the evidence connecting each suspect to the deaths.
The motive remained under investigation Thursday. Early information from authorities included robbery among the possible lines of inquiry, while other reports described a business dispute involving Meléndez and an associate. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said during her Sept. 3 morning news conference that authorities had information about a dispute that preceded the killings and confirmed that suspects were in custody. She called the case a “very sad” and “regrettable” situation and said the State of Mexico government was supporting relatives of the victims. Prosecutors had not publicly declared a definitive motive.
Meléndez, known professionally as “Honas,” was a keyboardist, composer and producer associated with Camilo Séptimo, a Mexican synthpop and alternative rock group formed in 2013. He helped found the band with Manuel Mendoza and Erik Vázquez and contributed keyboards, synthesizers and electronic elements to its sound. The group developed a following in Mexico’s independent music scene and released albums including “Óleos,” “Navegantes,” “Ecos” and “Jardín de las almas.”
Camilo Séptimo issued a public statement mourning Meléndez and the other victims. The group said it would remember its longtime bandmate with love and gratitude and honor his life and music. It also expressed condolences to the relatives of Ana Paula, the couple’s daughter and Romero. The band thanked the State of Mexico prosecutor’s office for its work in the investigation. The deaths prompted additional tributes from musicians and fans across Mexico.
The case drew national attention as additional details became public Wednesday and Thursday. Sheinbaum’s comments marked one of the highest-level acknowledgments of the investigation, but significant questions remained unanswered, including the precise motive, the sequence of events inside the apartment and the alleged role of each detained man. Authorities have cautioned through their continuing investigation that the suspects are being investigated for probable participation, not treated as convicted offenders.
The State of Mexico prosecutor’s office said it would provide further information about the circumstances of the killings and the legal status of the two detainees as the investigation proceeds. As of Sept. 3, both men remained suspects in an active criminal investigation, and no final judicial determination of responsibility had been announced.
Author note: Last updated September 3, 2026.