A Mexican politician is publicly disputing the official stance and cautioning that a serial killer could be preying on women in one of the nation’s best-known tourist hotspots.
In recent weeks, three women have been discovered dead in Puerto Vallarta, while the number of femicides across the broader state of Jalisco has risen to seven.
Investigators and locals have been unnerved by a shared element across the cases: in at least two — and potentially three — of the deaths, the victims were found with their blouses pulled up over their bodies.
Yussara Canales, a state legislator for Puerto Vallarta’s 5th district, told the New York Post that this particular detail is what first made her consider the possibility of a serial offender in the area.
“It was this specific detail that initially led to the suspicion of a serial killer,” she said.
Two of the women who were found dead have not yet been identified. The first, thought to be around 30 and wearing a blue blouse, was located on May 10 on Victor Itiburde Avenue near the El Pirulí ranch. She was lying on her back and had cuts on both wrists.
Then, five days later, a second woman — estimated to be between 35 and 40 — was found near the Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta, an upscale 4.5-star resort. Reports say she showed indications of a blow to the head.
Neither victim has been publicly named.
The third death is that of Elizabeth Galindo, 25. She was reported missing from the State of Mexico on April 29 and later found dead in Puerto Vallarta on May 21, with multiple signs of violence and bruising visible on her face.
While the state prosecutor’s office has said her death is not connected to the other two cases, Canales has rejected that conclusion outright.
Looking at the broader trend, the situation appears increasingly alarming. Puerto Vallarta recorded five murdered women in the first five months of 2026 alone — compared with three across all of last year.
Canales believes there are reasons officials would prefer to downplay the idea of a serial killer, and she argues it ties back to economic concerns and an upcoming football tournament.
Puerto Vallarta is around a 52-minute flight from Guadalajara, which is set to host four World Cup matches in June. The coastal city — internationally associated with tourism and pop-culture visibility through The Love Boat — relies heavily on visitors, and Canales suggests authorities may be trying to avoid deterring them.
“Let me tell you why I think they did it: because, sadly, this news is making international headlines. It is leaving our port city in a very bad light,” Canales said.
“Perhaps this is the attorney general’s office’s way of trying to counteract all the negative notoriety our municipality is currently receiving.”
For Canales, the impact is not just political — it’s also personal and immediate. “I do believe this is something that puts us very much on alert, something that compels us women to be far more cautious and, sadly, to live in fear,” she said.