A Chicago couple who went missing in Mexico has been confirmed dead, according to their family.
Zafar Padamsee Mawani, a 56-year-old U.S. citizen, and his partner Guillermo Jafett Hidalgo Ortiz vanished in May in the vicinity south of Mexico City.
Authorities initiated a search and made multiple arrests related to the case, and investigators discovered four unidentified bodies in a mountainous region after detainees reportedly guided them to the location.
The couple's family expressed gratitude to everyone who tried to help bring Zafar home, including investigators, authorities, and volunteer organizations.
Mawani and Hidalgo Ortiz resided in Chicago and Mexico City, and were in Mexico to assist Mawani's mother at the time of their disappearance.
Over 135,000 people are unaccounted for in Mexico due to criminal violence, according to the latest federal data, and the official registry of missing persons recorded 977 new cases in May.
