Zeta co-editor murdered in TJ

Terrible news, via LA Times:

Francisco J. Ortiz Franco, a founding editor of the Zeta newsweekly, had just buckled Daniel, 10, and Andrea, 8, into the back seat of his Chevrolet sedan when a man approached the car and fired from close range. Ortiz Franco, 48, was hit in the head, neck and chest, authorities said. He died at the scene.

The children told police their father had noticed a vehicle following them on the way to a physical therapy appointment in the Colonia Revolucion, a mostly commercial area. Witnesses said the killer emerged from a black pickup truck.

The early morning attack took place against a backdrop of spiraling violence as rival Baja California drug cartels vie for control of the narcotics trade in this border city. Zeta has published numerous exposes over the years on the Arellano Felix drug syndicate, as well as the protection given to it by government officials and police.

I had not heard of Zeta before, here’s the URL: zetatijuana.com. this page is the announcement of his death, as well as his CV. Here’s a babelfish translation of same.

UPDATE 25 JUNE 2004: KPBS reports that they have arrested 4 suspects, and have an extensive audio report qas well