Thread: CU student killed in Mexico during robbery

CU student killed in Mexico during robbery
By Hector Gutierrez, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Originally published 06:50 p.m., March 28, 2008
Updated 06:50 p.m., March 28, 2008

A University of Colorado student on spring break in the resort city of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, was shot and killed this week when he tried to resist two robbers, the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City said Friday.

Embassy and U.S. consular officers stationed in Puerto Vallarta were working with Mexican officials and the victim's family to retrieve the body of David Parrish, 21, said an embassy spokeswoman, who asked not to be identified.

Mexican authorities have informed the U.S. consulate that two men have been arrested, the spokeswoman said.

Parrish's mother was with him during this week's spring vacation.

The embassy spokeswoman did not know if a family member was with Parrish when he was robbed and shot about 4 p.m. Wednesday.

"There was apparently an attempted robbery by some people and Mr. Parrish appears to have resisted, and he was shot and subsequently died," she said. "It's a terrible thing, and we're very sorry that it happened."

Embassy officials were trying to confirm whether the attack happened at Puerto Vallarta's marina where cruise ships dock or the port, which includes a shopping district.

"Obviously, it's a great tragedy for our campus community any time we lose any of our students for any reason," CU Boulder spokesman Bronson Hilliard said Friday. "It's particularly a blow to friends and family, and we're part of an extended family. Our hearts go out to his parents and classmates."

Hilliard said campus records show that Parrish was a junior majoring in geography.

Puerto Vallarta, a resort city of 300,000, is on the Pacific coast in Jalisco state.

Despite Parrish's death, embassy officials said that violent crimes against American visitors are rare.

About 1 million American tourists travel to Puerto Vallarta annually, and embassy officials said they only knew of about a dozen other violent crimes against U.S. nationals.

"None were fatal, and they were a variety of crimes," the embassy spokeswoman said.

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About 1 million American tourists travel to Puerto Vallarta annually, and embassy officials said they only knew of about a dozen other violent crimes against U.S. nationals.

"None were fatal, and they were a variety of crimes," the embassy spokeswoman said.

Maybe about a dozen were reported/publicized. How many are hushed up so not to harm incoming tourism?

Travel to Mexico is more perilous for Americans now than it's ever been, sad this boy had to die to bring it to the forefront.

Despite Parrish's death, embassy officials said that violent crimes against American visitors are rare.

"violent crimes against American visitors are rare" !!??!!??!!??

What the hell kind of drugs are they smoking down there? I would expect this kind of spineless drivel from a Mexican official, but an American embassy worker spewing this kind of tripe? I wonder how many Americans are robbed and assaulted while in Mexico but refuse to report the crimes because they know the cops will do nothing, or because it's the cops themselves who are committing the crimes?

Video: Judge, Employees Investigated In Escape Of Suspect In CU Slaying

Judge, Employees Investigated In Escape Of Suspect In CU Slaying
Suspect Escaped From Jail By Switching Clothes

POSTED: 4:45 pm MDT March 31, 2008
UPDATED: 7:46 pm MDT March 31, 2008

PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico -- A Mexican judge, his secretary and two jail employees were under investigation Monday after a man accused of killing a University of Colorado student escaped from jail.

Local prosecutor Guillermo Martin Diaz said the four may have played an active role in helping Alfonso Ramirez walk out of a Puerto Vallarta jail early Friday.

Ramirez is accused of killing 21-year-old David Parrish during a robbery on Wednesday. Parrish, of Boulder, Colo., was on vacation in Mexico.

In a news conference Monday, Diaz said officials want to know why the judge and his secretary issued a release order and the two jail employees let Ramirez go, all before dawn Friday.

The two jail employees have been detained since Friday. Officials are looking for the judge and his secretary.

The city's public safety director has also been suspended without pay pending an investigation of the escape.

Local police initially said Ramirez tricked guards into releasing him by switching clothes with a cellmate who was being held for robbing a bottle of liquor.

U.S. Embassy spokeswoman Judith Bryan said the killing was the first fatal shooting of an American in Puerto Vallarta that the Embassy had on record. About 1 million Americans visit Puerto Vallarta each year.

She said U.S. officials were working with their Mexican counterparts to ensure that the suspect was detained again and anyone responsible for aiding the escape faced justice.

Friends Remember Slain Student

Parrish's mother, Janet Graaf, was reportedly with him at the time of the shooting and said that her son tried to stop the men from taking her purse. Graaf is an instructor at CU's business school.

The Chancelors office issued a statement on Monday that said students like Parrish are "the heart and the soul of the University."

Dennis Ahlburg, dean of the Leeds School of Business at CU, told 7NEWS, Parrish was a "wonderful young man."

Ahlburg said Parrish shared his mother's interest in developing countries. Graaf is from South Africa and chose to spend the week of Spring Break with her son, according to Ahlburg.

"That says a lot about her, about him, and about their relationship," Ahlburg continued. "They are a wonderful family."

Fellow CU students were just learning of Parrish's death Sunday as they returned to campus from their week-long break.

"It's horrible, trying to do something fun and having it end up so tragically," said Peter Eichar.

A family friend told 7NEWS funeral arrangements are still being made.

Parrish graduated from Boulder High in 2005 and was studying geography at CU, according to school records. He grew up in Boulder.


Previous Stories:
March 31, 2008: Suspect In CU Student Death Gets Out Of Jail
March 30, 2008: U.S. Embassy Says CU Student Killed In Robbery Attempt In Mexico

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/15 ... etail.html

Unbelievable...the Mexican Judge, his secretary, and two others helped the murderer to escape??????? If this doesn't demonstrate the absolute corruption and evil lurking in the heart of Mexico...I don't know what will!

Why has this story not become headline news in the US??? What more will it take to declare Mexico an enemy of State???

Also, it appears the boy's Mother was from South Africa...I wonder if they were Black...only because we are undergoing an ethnic cleansing of blacks in L.A.....

The situation is out of control with Mexico!!!!

Americans are killed in our own country by illegal invaders from Mexico and they are killed in Mexico while trying to have a vacation and spend money in that country.

Mexico is no friend of the United States. When is our government going to accept that fact!

Mexican authorities accidentally release man accused of killing Colorado student
8:26 PM

PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico (AP) -- Two Mexican judges said they accidentally released a suspect in the shooting death of a vacationing University of Colorado student.

Municipal judges Jesus Roberto Gomez and Jorge Alejandro Garcia appeared before the Public Ministry Tuesday amid an investigation into how a man accused of killing 21-year-old David Parrish of Boulder, Colo., escaped from jail.

City officials said Monday they wanted to know why Gomez issued a release order and two jail employees let the suspect go on Friday before dawn -- an hour at which releases are unusual. The jail employees were being held Tuesday at a state prison.

Police initially said suspect Alfonso Ramirez tricked guards into releasing him by switching clothes with a cell mate, who was being held for allegedly stealing a bottle of liquor.

The judges, who have protection orders preventing them from being arrested, said Tuesday they intended to released the liquor suspect because prosecutors had not pressed charges against him and 36 hours had passed since his arrest.

U.S. Embassy spokeswoman Judith Bryan said the killing, which allegedly happened during a robbery, was the first fatal shooting of an American in Puerto Vallarta the Embassy has on record. About 1 million Americans visit Puerto Vallarta each year.

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