Three women were found dead in Puerto Vallarta over an 11-day span, setting off alarm and speculation that quickly moved beyond what investigators had made public. The Jalisco Prosecutor’s Office has now pushed back, saying the cases do not show objective or scientific evidence of a serial attacker. The statement does not close the investigations. It narrows what authorities say they can support, while leaving each case under review.
Prosecutors push back on serial killer claim
The Jalisco Prosecutor’s Office says it has found no objective or scientific evidence that three recent deaths of women in Puerto Vallarta are tied to a serial attacker.
The statement came after three women were found dead in different parts of the municipality between May 10 and May 21. The cases drew public concern and unsupported speculation that the deaths could be linked to one aggressor.
According to the state agency’s statement, described in communiqué 0998/2026, the investigations so far do not show matching patterns between the events. Prosecutors said the files remain open and are being handled in accordance with the relevant protocols and a gender-based investigative approach.
The office also asked people not to circulate unconfirmed versions that could create alarm or spread misinformation. That warning is central to the state’s position. It does not say the cases are solved. It says the available evidence does not support the public claim of a serial killer in Puerto Vallarta.
The claim of a possible serial killer appears to have originated outside the official investigation, in coverage by a national English-language publication that occasionally reports on Puerto Vallarta. PVDN did not repeat the claim because authorities had not presented evidence connecting the three deaths to one attacker.
Three deaths, three separate inquiries
The deaths being reviewed occurred on May 10, May 15, and May 21.
The first body was found near the Rancho El Pirulí area. A second woman was found near the highway toward Mismaloya, a case Vallarta Daily previously covered when authorities were still working to identify the victim in the woman found dead near Mismaloya. The third body was found near Camino Viejo a Mojoneras, close to Parque Las Palmas.
Authorities later said one victim died from wounds caused by a sharp object. Another case showed signs that could be related to poisoning. In the third case, the preliminary cause of death was pointed to as asphyxia by immersion, according to local reports citing the prosecutor’s communication.
That distinction appears to be part of the state’s argument against treating the cases as the work of one aggressor. Prosecutors have not ruled out violence in the cases. They have, for now, rejected the claim that the files show a shared forensic pattern.
The May 21 case drew additional attention because the woman was later linked to Elizabeth Galindo Martínez, a 22-year-old who had been reported missing in the State of Mexico. Earlier reports said the body was found in the Parque Las Palmas area after people passing through the zone alerted authorities.
What remains unresolved
The prosecutor’s statement leaves several questions open.
The agency has not announced arrests in the three cases. It has not publicly detailed the full forensic findings. It also has not said whether any of the victims had contact with the same person, route, vehicle, or location before their deaths.
The concern also follows pressure from civil groups. Vallarta Daily previously reported that Colectivo 50+1 pressed Puerto Vallarta officials for stronger policies, transparency, and resources after the three deaths. The group’s demand focused on public safety and institutional response, not only on whether the cases were connected.
Jalisco prosecutors have also been trying to show broader action in violence-against-women cases. In a recent update, the state reported 81 suspects linked to cases involving attacks on women in early May, including files across different municipalities. That statewide context does not explain the Puerto Vallarta cases, but it shows the agency is under pressure to demonstrate results.
Rumor moved faster than evidence
The serial-killer claim spread before authorities presented evidence tying the three deaths together.
Some of the speculation appeared to rely on the timing of the discoveries and the fact that the victims were women. Prosecutors now say those similarities are not enough to establish a common aggressor. The agency’s position is that each file must be read through, evidence collected at the scene, forensic analysis conducted, and investigative work performed.
That distinction is important in a case where public fear can harden into a supposed fact before investigators confirm it.
The prosecutor’s office said agents from the Public Ministry, investigative police, and forensic staff continue working on the cases. The office also said the investigations remain open until those responsible are identified and brought before the courts.
