MEXICO CITY — In a tragic incident in northern Mexico, authorities report that a U.S. man was fatally shot by gunmen believed to be affiliated with a drug cartel. It has emerged that one of the presumed assailants is a deserter from the presidential guard unit of Honduras.

The victim, identified as Arizona resident Nicholas Quets, was shot dead on October 18 near a gas station situated between the towns of Altar and Caborca, in Sonora, a Mexican state bordering the U.S. Reports indicate that Quets was en route to the coastal resort of Puerto Peñasco, also known as Rocky Point, at the time of the incident.

Witnesses suggest that Quets’ vehicle might have passed through a drug cartel’s roadway checkpoint just before the tragic shooting occurred.

On Tuesday, prosecutors in Sonora announced that the Honduran suspect, along with an accomplice, was “neutralized” in Altar after they allegedly opened fire on law enforcement officials. The term “neutralized” is commonly used in Mexican law enforcement to refer to fatalities inflicted during these confrontations.

Authorities noted that the Honduran suspect, whose full name remains undisclosed, was wanted for desertion from Honduras’ presidential honor guard, illustrating how drug cartels in Mexico frequently enlist former military personnel from Central and South America.

Additionally, prosecutors have apprehended two more individuals connected to the murder of Quets. Among them is one identified as a member of a gang known as “Delta,” which operates under the Chapitos faction of the Sinaloa drug cartel. They, along with another suspect, are currently held in custody as investigations continue regarding weapon and drug-related charges.