Jonathan “Honas” Meléndez, keyboardist and founding member of the Mexican alternative rock band "Camilo Séptimo", was killed along with his pregnant wife, their 3-year-old daughter and a domestic worker at an apartment in Atizapán de Zaragoza, near Mexico City, authorities said.
A 6-year-old boy was found alive and unharmed at the scene.
The Office of the Attorney General of the State of Mexico said Wednesday that two men had been arrested on suspicion of participating in the attack.
The killings claimed the life of a prominent figure in Mexico’s alternative rock scene and prompted an outpouring of grief from fans and fellow musicians.
How the killings unfolded
According to investigators, Diego Sebastián
“N” arrived at Meléndez’s residence on the afternoon of Sept. 1 with the intention of robbing and killing the musician and his family.
Authorities said the four killings occurred between approximately 5:24 p.m. and 7:40 p.m. at the apartment complex where Meléndez lived in the Bosques de Amates area of the Grand Viure development in Atizapán’s Zona Esmeralda.
Investigators said the suspect arrived while Meléndez was away. The musician’s wife, Ana Paula, allegedly allowed him into the apartment. Once inside, prosecutors say the suspect threatened her and the couple’s 3-year-old daughter, Sofi, with a firearm.
According to case file 00364/26/09, the suspect also tied up the family dog to stop it from barking. Authorities allege he then bound and gagged the woman and child before fatally shooting them in the head.
Aleyda Romero, a domestic worker who was in another room with the couple’s 6-year-old son, Jonathan, allegedly came out after hearing a disturbance. Investigators say the suspect took her into another room and shot her in the back.
Meléndez later returned home and encountered the scene. According to prosecutors, the suspect subdued him and, after failing to obtain information about where money was being kept, fatally shot him in the head.
Investigators believe the couple’s son survived after hiding under a bed. He was the only family member found alive and has since been placed in the care of his grandparents.
Meléndez reportedly expressed concern before meeting suspect
Before the encounter, Meléndez reportedly told a friend identified as Freddy that if he failed to hear from him after several hours, he should contact authorities because he was scheduled to meet with someone at his home whom he considered “very intense.”
When the musician stopped responding, the friend became concerned and went to the residence accompanied by police officers. Upon entering, they discovered the victims’ bodies, according to the investigation.
Authorities said the 6-year-old boy was found unharmed. Investigators say Romero had instructed him to hide under a bed and not come out after hearing unusual noises inside the home.
Hours later, authorities announced the arrests of Diego Sebastián “N” and Gerardo “N,” who are being investigated for their alleged involvement in the killings.
Suspect previously accused of fraud
Months before the killings, Diego Sebastián had been publicly accused of fraud related to vacation home rentals in Valle de Bravo and Acapulco.
Social media users alleged that Diego and his wife defrauded customers through purported vacation rental transactions.
One complaint was published July 21, 2026, in the Facebook group “Rentas vacacionales en Cuernavaca, Teques y Acapulco.”
A woman accused Diego Sebastián of defrauding at least 11 people out of a combined 500,000 pesos (about $26,000).
Another complaint involved four families who alleged they lost 400,000 pesos after paying to rent a mansion in Acapulco for a birthday celebration.
Camilo Séptimo mourns founding member
Following news of Meléndez’s death, Camilo Séptimo released a statement mourning its longtime bandmate.
“With deep sorrow, we say goodbye to our beloved brother Jonathan Samuel Meléndez Ochoa, ‘Honas,’” the band said. “We will always remember him with immense love and gratitude.”
Authorities said the investigation remains ongoing as they work to determine the motive behind the killings.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Brutal murder of musician, pregnant wife and daughter shakes Mexico
