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The Social Media Star Who Was Assassinated by An Infamous Mexican Cartel
The 17-year-old internet sensation was shot 15 times after insulting the leader of an infamous drug cartel in a video
Juan Luis Lagunas Rosales was born in Navolato in the state of Sinaloa, northwestern Mexico. Sinaloa is a major producer of opium and marijuana and home to the infamous Sinaloa Cartel — which the notorious drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” was the leader. [1] Lagunas never knew his father and his mother left him with his grandmother as a child. He lived with his grandmother until the age of 15 when he dropped out of high school. He left his hometown for the nearby town of Culiacan, where he began washing cars to make a living.
Internet Fame
He adopted the alias “El Pirata de Culiacán,” or “The Pirate of Culiacán” after his new town. His claim to fame was by posting videos of himself partying, doing drugs and excessive drinking despite being underage — the legal drinking age in Mexico is 18. In his videos, he would be seen binging on alcohol, displaying bold antics and passed out drunk. His videos went viral, gaining him fans from all over the world. He amassed more than 300,000 followers on Instagram and over a million followers on Facebook. He also starred in music videos and invited to promotional events.
He lived a high life. From his Instagram, he could be seen photographed with half-naked women, luxury cars and holding large guns. His fame or the alcohol might have gotten over when he posted a video insulting Nemesio Ocegera Cervantes, also known as “El Mencho” leader of the New Generation Cartel and one of Mexico’s most dangerous drug lords. In the video, Lagunas, who seemed to be intoxicated, was recorded saying, “El Mencho a mí me pela la verga” which roughly translate to “El Mencho suck my c‑‑‑ .”
On 18 December 2017, a Monday night, not long after the video insulting El Mencho was posted, Lagunas and his friends were parting at a bar in Jalisco. At around 11 p.m., a group of armed men came in and fired at Lagunas. The…
