Police commander slain in Juárez
By Daniel Borunda / El Paso Times
Article Launched: 08/07/2008 12:00:00 AM MDT




EL PASO -- A Chihuahua state police commander was gunned down at his Juárez home late Tuesday night as the body count continued to grow. More than 700 people have been killed in Juárez this year.

Vidal Barraza Ortiz, 42, was a commander in the State Investigation Agency of the state attorney general's office, police said. Investigators found 28 bullet casings at the scene.

Barraza Ortiz had worked several assignments, including on the task force on women's murders.

In separate cases, the body of an unidentified man in his 40s was found Tuesday night in a plastic barrel. The man had been shot multiple times, his feet and hands were bound, and he had gray tape and a wire around his neck.

Tuesday afternoon, an unidentified man, age 20 to 25, was fatally stabbed in colonia Francisco I. Madero.

Wednesday morning, another unidentified man was found shot to death in colonia Parajes de Oriente.

Daniel Borunda may be reached at dborunda@elpasotimes.com; 546-6102.

http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_10121004