Heriberto Lazcano Lazcano

Heriberto Lazcano Lazcano
Born(1974-12-25)25 December 1974
Apan, Hidalgo, Mexico
Died7 October 2012(2012-10-07) (aged 37)
Progreso, Coahuila, Mexico
Cause of deathBallistic trauma
Other namesEl Lazca, El Verdugo, Z-3
OccupationLeader of Los Zetas
OrganizationLos Zetas
PredecessorRogelio González Pizaña
SuccessorMiguel Treviño Morales
Opponents
Military career
Allegiance Mexico
Service/branch Mexican Army
Years of service1991–1998
UnitGrupo Aeromóvil de Fuerzas Especiales
Battles/warsChiapas conflict
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Lazcano and the second or maternal family name is Lazcano.

Heriberto Lazcano Lazcano (25 December 1974 – 7 October 2012), commonly referred to by his aliases Z-3 and El Lazca, was a Mexican drug lord and the leader of Los Zetas drug cartel. He was one of the most-wanted Mexican drug lords.[1]

Lazcano joined the Mexican Army at the age of 16 and later ascended to the Grupo Aeromóvil de Fuerzas Especiales (GAFE), the Mexican Army special forces.[2] During his tenure in the Mexican Army, Lazcano reportedly received military training from the Israeli Defense Forces and the United States Army, but eventually deserted in 1998, after seven years of service. Upon his desertion, he was recruited by the drug lord Osiel Cárdenas Guillén and Arturo Guzmán Decena with around 30 other soldiers to work as the enforcers of the Gulf Cartel, forming the paramilitary group known as Los Zetas.[3][4] His torture methods earned him the nickname "El Verdugo" ('The Executioner'), particularly for killing his victims by feeding them to lions and tigers he kept in a ranch.[5]

Lazcano died in a shootout with the Mexican Navy on 7 October 2012. After his death, his body was taken from the funeral home by an armed gang.[6][7]

  1. ^ "Slain Mexican kingpin deserted army, led Zetas drug gang". Reuters. 9 October 2012. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 9 October 2012.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference cnnmex123 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference latimes was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Casey, Nicholas (9 October 2012). "Zetas Cartel Leader Killed, Mexico Navy Says". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on 19 November 2015. Retrieved 9 October 2012.
  5. ^ Grillo, Ioan (10 October 2012). "Mexico Says 'The Executioner' Is Dead—But Where's the Body?". TIME. Archived from the original on 15 October 2012. Retrieved 15 October 2012.
  6. ^ Casey, Nicholas (10 October 2012). "Mexico Strikes Back Against Cartel". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on 11 October 2012. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference plataoplomo was invoked but never defined (see the help page).