Mexican authorities arrested the alleged leader of one of the country's most violent criminal cells, connecting him to the assassination of a sitting mayor and the livestreamed killing of a beauty influencer that drew widespread attention last year.
Ramón Ángel Álvarez Ayala, known by the alias "El R-1," was taken into custody during a joint military and law enforcement operation, officials said. He is identified as the head of Los Rs, a criminal cell linked to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, known as CJNG.
Mexican Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch announced details of the investigation the day after the arrest. "'El R-1' is identified as the main leader of Los Rs, one of the most violent criminal cells linked to the CJNG, with operations in Apatzingán, Uruapan and Morelia, Michoacán, as well as in Jalisco," García Harfuch said in a statement posted on X. "This organization is involved in extortion, murders and drug trafficking, directly affecting producers, business owners and families in the region," he added.
Authorities allege Álvarez Ayala ordered and financed the November 2025 assassination of Uruapan Mayor Carlos Manzo. The arrest also produced new evidence linking his organization to a separate killing that had captured international attention.
Valeria Márquez, a 23-year-old TikTok creator with more than 100,000 followers, was shot and killed in May 2025 while livestreaming from her beauty salon in Zapopan, Jalisco, as Fox News Digital previously reported. Video appeared to show a man entering the salon and asking, "Are you Valeria?" before handing her a gift. The man then allegedly shot her in the chest and head. Márquez collapsed on camera before another person ended the livestream. The killing had initially been investigated as a femicide under Mexican law.
García Harfuch said the crime was tied to Álvarez Ayala's son, identified as Francisco, who had a romantic relationship with Márquez. "With yesterday's arrest, we learned that R-1's son had a romantic relationship with Valeria. He had threatened her on several occasions and everything indicates, and this will be proven, that the son asked his father, R-1, to carry out the feminicide," García Harfuch said, according to reports.
He also confirmed the cell's direct role. "This criminal cell allegedly participated under his orders in coordinating multiple violent acts in the region. Among them is the tragic feminicide of Valeria Márquez, which occurred in May 2025 in Zapopan, Jalisco, a crime linked to Francisco, the victim's former partner and Ramón Ángel's son," García Harfuch said.
Álvarez Ayala is now in custody. His son Francisco remains at large. Jalisco authorities separately arrested another man accused of participating in Márquez's killing.
