José Abella, owner of the newspaper El Buen Tono, accused Anabel Salazar, a journalist that was found dead last week, of having links with criminal groups.
Her body was found last week in Puebla with signs of torture.
In a radio interview with Ciro Gómez Leyva, Abella said Salazar was dismissed from the newspaper eight months ago.
He added that the reporter paid journalists in Córdoba and Orizaba for their silence and that she was protected by bodyguards.