A long-time drug lord responsible for the murder of a U.S. DEA agent in 1985 is behind a recent spike in violence in northwestern Mexico, just south of Arizona. The drug lord is currently on the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s Most Wanted list.

Rafael Caro Quintero, one of the drug lords behind the murder of DEA Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena, is at the center of a fierce turf war with his former allies in the Sinaloa Cartel.

On Monday, a cartel strike team aligned with Caro Quintero hung a body from a highway overpass next to a banner claiming that police were working with a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel known as “Los Salazar,” Proceso Magazine reported. On the same day, authorities found two other bodies wrapped in blankets in the city of Guaymas.

The hanging comes at a time when cartel enforcers known as “La Plaza,” part of Caro Quintero’s organization, are carrying out killings statewide as they fight groups tied to the Sinaloa Cartel — particularly the sons of jailed kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman.

Sonora Governor Alfonso Durazo continuously posts on social media about efforts by officials to restore peace, however, the rival cartels continue a bloody turf war with little interference.

Last month, a convoy of gunmen from the Sinaloa Cartel known as “La Chapiza” invaded the border town of Caborca, El Sol de Hermosillo reported. The gunmen killed at least one person, kidnapped several others, and shot up houses during a 24-hour period. By the time the gunmen left, authorities still had not responded.

Caro Quintero was a top leader with the Guadalajara Cartel and spent years in prison for his role in the 1985 murder of Camarena. However, a Mexican judge released Quintero in 2013 under a questionable ruling and did not give the United States a chance to request extradition. Since his release, the drug lord returned to the trade and settled in Sonora, where he set up his own organization.

Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at Iortiz@breitbart.com. 

Brandon Darby is the managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and senior Breitbart management. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at bdarby@breitbart.com.     

Jose Luis Lara from Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project contributed to this report