AnOhio architect and his fiancée who had been missingin Mexico since Christmas Day have been found dead, the man’s employer confirmed.
“He was a valuable member of the Champlin team, working on projects for clients such as The Christ Hospital, Hamilton County, St. Elizabeth Healthcare, and University of Cincinnati. His work bettered the lives of those in the community he chose to make his home.”
The confirmation comes days after Mexican authorities foundfour bodies near a bullet-riddled vanin which 36-year-old Gutierrez, his fiancée, and two relatives were traveling in at the time of their disappearance.
Officials have verified the identities of the bodies as Gutierrez’s fiancée, Daniela Márquez, her sister Viviana, and their cousin Irma Vargas, Gutierrez’s siblingstold Cincinnati’s Fox 19on Jan. 20. The family previously said that authorities were awaiting DNA confirmation to determine whether the fourth body was Gutierrez’s.
Daniela Márquez and Jose Gutierrez.Twitter
Gutierrez went missing after eating at a bar with Márquez in Zacatecas in central Mexico on Dec. 25. Márquez’s mother, Rosa Pichardo, had previously reported to officials that the group wasset to return to Márquez’s homein Colotlán, Jalisco state that night.
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The Zacatecas Attorney General said ina statement to NBC Newsthat their vehicle was found near a burial site in Zacatecas, which is located midway between Monterrey and Mexico City.
TheState Departmentcurrently has a “Do not travel” advisory for the state due to widespread “violent crime, extortion, and gang activity.”
Champlin Architecture announced it will be launching a scholarship in Gutierrez’s name at Miami University “in order to honor his impact to our firm and the community.”
source: people.com
