A Mexican drug cartel used Twitter for evil after murdering a doctor and journalist who exposed organized crime, and posting pictures of her dead body on her own social media account.
Maria del Rosario Fuentes Rubio, who used a pseudonym to report on local gang violence and crime fueled by drug lords, was tracked down by cartel members who brutally depicted her lifeless body on social media.
The Tamaulipas state prosecutor is investigating whether Rubio was killed after being kidnapped by a gunman on Thursday.
Rubio, who used the moniker 'Felina,' or Catwoman, on Twitter, ran a citizen news site called Valor por Tamaulipas (Bravery for Tamaulipas). The site, which tracked violent rivals called Gulf Cartel and the Zetas in real time, garnered a huge social media following - including more than 510,000 Facebook fans and 100,000 Twitter followers.
She started receiving death threats in early October, according to the UK Mirror, but continued pursuing her work in a severely oppressive environment where cartel members routinely carry out extortions, kidnappings and executions.
Her Twitter account, with the handle @Miut3, has been taken down.
On Oct. 16, the cartel had identified her and commandeered her Twitter account to warn others not to be as outspoken as she was.
'Friends and family, my real name is Maria del Rosario Fuentes Rubio, I am a doctor, today my life has come to an end.'
Two photos were posted, one of her looking into the camera with a glum expression on her face, and the other gruesome one showing her dead on the floor, her arms splayed above her, with a bullet wound to her head.
Another tweet read, 'Shut down your accounts, do not risk your families' lives as I have done. I ask your forgiveness.'
Mexico has become an increasingly dangerous place for journalists to work, and has been the site of murders of seven journalists in the past two years, according to Reporters Without Borders.
'Reporters Without Borders is shocked by the murder of María del Rosario Fuentes Rubio and urges the government to investigate thoroughly to identify those responsible as quickly as possible,' said deputy program director Virginie Dangles.
Twitter followers took to the social media site to mourn the loss of a courageous journalist.
'How awful for that doctor in Mexico who was killed for trying to make people aware. #felina #felinakilled #RIPFELINA,' tweeted Laura Buckets.
The founder of Valor por Tamaulipas, who remains unidentified, according to The Daily Beast, posted a statement on the site describing Rubio as 'an angel who gave everything, her life, her future, her safety and peace, she gave it all for the good people of our state.'
'Today Miut3 ceased to report,' the founder said. 'But what the criminals don't know is that Miut3 is part of our soul and she will never permit us to surrender to organized crime. She will never surrender, and how disappointed she would feel knowing that a single one of all those whom she helped were to succumb.'
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