Longtime Chicago couple Zafar Padamsee Mawani and Guillermo Jaffet Hidalgo Ortiz have been found dead after vanishing in Mexico City in late May, relatives and friends told local reporters Thursday. The pair had relocated from the Chicago area to the Mexico City region to help care for Mawani’s elderly mother, family members said. Their remains were recovered during coordinated search operations and taken to local forensic services, where investigators are working to confirm identities and determine a cause of death. Authorities in both Mexico City and the State of Mexico have opened an active investigation.
Last known movements
According to NBC Chicago, the couple were last seen on May 20, when they left their home in the Interlomas/Huixquilucan area to meet with local contractors who were supposed to install a lift chair for Mawani's mother. Friends said Ortiz briefly managed to share his phone location during the trip before both of their phones stopped updating. Relatives later noticed unusual withdrawals from the couple’s bank accounts. Family members reported the couple missing and appealed to both U.S. and Mexican authorities for help in finding them.
Bodies recovered in La Marquesa
Search teams combing the Valle del Silencio area of Parque Nacional La Marquesa discovered multiple bodies, including two people family members identified as Mawani and Ortiz, according to authorities and national media reports. El País and other regional outlets reported that forensic teams uncovered four bodies in clandestine graves and are carrying out genetic tests to confirm the victims’ identities and establish how they died. Officials from Mexico City and the State of Mexico took part in the operation and collected additional evidence at the site, according to reporting by UnoTV.
Family reaction and consular response
Family members in Chicago told local outlets they had been notified about the recovery of remains and were cooperating with authorities as the investigation moves forward, according to ABC7 Chicago. Relatives said the couple moved from the Chicago area to the Mexico City region in October so they could care for Mawani’s mother. The Mexican consulate in Chicago previously told reporters there was no official information yet in the case and reiterated that it would provide consular assistance as needed, according to NBC Chicago.
Investigation and unanswered questions
Authorities have not released a full public account of what happened to the couple, and Mexican prosecutors say forensic testing is still underway to confirm identity and cause of death. El País reported that investigators are reviewing cellphone data and looking closely at the unusual bank activity linked to the couple. Friends told reporters that a ride requested through a taxi app has become a key line of inquiry. Regional outlets also reported that search teams recovered additional remains in the area and that some local reports mentioned detentions at the scene, although official statements about any arrests have been limited. Investigators from Mexico City, the State of Mexico and federal agencies are said to be coordinating the probe.
What comes next
Relatives in Chicago say they are waiting on formal confirmation and clearer answers as Mexican authorities continue lab work and conduct interviews. They have publicly called for transparency from officials handling the case. Friends and neighbors in the couple’s former Chicago community have begun posting memorial messages and tributes online, while also urging authorities to see the investigation through, according to ABC7 Chicago. This story will be updated as authorities release additional information.
