By: (AP) The San Antonio Express-News on Tuesday offered a $4,450 reward for the capture of two Mexican men convicted of killing its reporter Philip True in December 1998.
Express-News Editor Robert Rivard announced the reward after meeting over the weekend with the governor of the northwestern state of Jalisco, Francisco Ramirez Acuna, and state Attorney General Gerardo Octavio Solis, who said they believe the fugitives are hidden among Huichol Indian communities in the rugged Sierra Madre Occidental mountain range.
In April 2004, Juan Chivarra and Miguel Hernandez were sentenced to 20 years in prison for killing True, who was the Mexico City bureau chief for the Express-News. True disappeared during a 10-day hike by himself through the Sierra Madre Occidental, and his body was found in a shallow grave in December 1998.
"We have urged the governor and attorney general in Jalisco to redouble their efforts to capture these fugitives, who we believe can be found on or near their ranch in the Huichol sierra," Rivard said. He expressed gratitude for the attention shown to the case. (E&P has covered this story from the outset.)
In a news release sent in Spanish to media in Jalisco, Rivard said the reward was meant to let Huichols know the men are wanted -- a fact that otherwise might not be known in the remote area.
Late last week, Rivard and a group of other people flew to the region where True's killers might be hiding and distributed posters about the rewards.
Rivard also gave a $900 reward to Margarito Diaz, who found the body and reported it to authorities. Earlier attempts to give him the reward via intermediaries had failed.
"We want the Huichol people to know our offer of the 50,000 reward [$4,450] will be honored," Rivard said.
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