A bus driver for ADO, one of the biggest and most important bus companies in Mexico, is the main suspect in the murder of the National Geographic photographer, Barbara McClatchie Andrews, who was en route from Cancun to Mérida. The driver was arrested and allegedly confessed to having murdered Ms. Andrews, reports Yucatan’s Attorney General.
EL UNIVERSAL previously reported that Ms. Andrews had been murdered by a taxi driver.
The photographer's remains were found on Friday in a ditch alongside the Mérdia-Cancun highway near the Hacienda Teya hotel and tourist center. The autopsy showed that Ms. Andrews was strangled to death, most likely by the strap on her camera. The camera was not found with her body.
The state Attorney General, Ariel Aldécua Ku, said that Ms. Andrews was the last person on the bus after it made a scheduled stop in Altabrisa before arriving to Mérida.
The perpetrator, who's name has yet to be released due to the ongoing investigation, attempted to rob Ms. Andrews camera, cash and other personal belongings, but she resisted, which led to a confrontation.
News of the photographer's murder shocked members of the state's artistic and cultural scene. Ms. Andrews had been living in Mérida for over 10 years and dedicated her life to promoting the local art scene and ancient Mayan culture.
Several members of Yucatan’s art, cultural and photography scene held a demonstration demanding justice for Ms. Andrews' death, and they've also put together exhibits commemorating her work as a visual artist at Mérdia's official city museum (Museo de la Ciudad) and the Yucatan Museum of Contemporary Art (Macay).
Barbara McClatchie Andrews will be remembered for her work published in the National Geographic and numerous other magazines and publications, which captured the landscapes, scenes and faces of over 50 countries.