Paco Stanley - Death

Death

On June 7, 1999 Paco Stanley, Mario Bezarez and Jorge Gil left TV Azteca studios after their morning show "Una Tras Otra" to eat in a famous Mexican restaurant "El Charco de las Ranas" located in Periferico, Mexico City's busy beltway. When they all finished, Paco and Mario went to the restroom at the same time, while Jorge was waiting for them. Paco finished first and he told Mario that he was going to wait for him outside (in his car). While Paco, Jorge and his driver were waiting inside his black Lincoln Navigator, three subjects walked towards the car and started shooting. The assailants unloaded a high caliber firearm at his parked car, firing more than 20 rounds, killing him with 4 shots, 3 of them hitting him in the head, and wounding Jorge Gil and other bystanders.

Mario Bezarez left the restroom and he heard the gunfire. The waiters from the restaurant would not let him leave, thinking that the assailants were after him as well.

Mexico was shocked with the news of Paco Stanley's death. Mexican TV networks, Televisa and TV Azteca interrupted their programming to give out the news. In that day while the news was given out, two news anchors from TV Azteca and the president of TV Azteca Ricardo Salinas Pliego started blaming Mexico City's mayor Cuauhtemoc Cardenas of not knowing how to govern, due to the high crime rate in the city.

On the autopsy, the General Attorney of Mexico City, Samuel del Villar briefly informed that in the corpse, there was found a legal ID of Stanley corresponding to a branch of the National Security Ministry allowing him to carry firearms. Also, a bag containing 0.02 g of cocaine was found in his shirt, according to the City attorney, on a national TV broadcasted press conference.