MEXICO · SECURITY
Key Facts
- —Who Two Americans, named in reports as Richard Leiter Johnston III and John Dudley Black, died in Chihuahua on 19 April.
- —What Mexican prosecutors and US media say both worked for the CIA, the US foreign intelligence agency.
- —Why now Mexico’s federal prosecutors are pursuing a treason case against Chihuahua’s former attorney general over the operation.
- —Still open Neither the CIA nor the US government has publicly confirmed the two men’s employer.
- —Power Index Mexico ranks 2nd of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 71.4 points (October 2026 edition).
Two Americans who died in a Mexican drug-lab operation in April have now been named in reports as CIA officers.
Two Americans killed in a vehicle crash after an April anti-drug operation in northern Mexico have been named in reports as CIA officers. The Washington Post and the Associated Press, citing sources, first identified the two men as working for the US foreign intelligence agency.
Mexican officials have since pointed the same way, which makes this a test of how far US agents may work alongside Mexican state police. Mexico’s federal government says foreign security agencies must work through federal channels, not directly with state police.
What Happened on 19 April
A vehicle returning from an operation against clandestine drug laboratories near El Pinal, in Morelos municipality, left the road in the Sierra Tarahumara mountains of Chihuahua state. It overturned and caught fire at about 1:50 a.m. local time on Sunday, 19 April, which was 3:50 a.m. US Eastern time.
Four people died: the two Americans, Pedro Román Oseguera Cervantes, director of Chihuahua’s State Investigation Agency, and his escort, Manuel Genaro Méndez Montes. The crash happened on a road between Morelos and Guachochi.
How the CIA Link Emerged
On the day of the crash, Chihuahua officials described the Americans as embassy liaisons and instructors. Chihuahua’s special prosecutor said on 27 April that four US agents had gone undercover, according to Proceso.
Reports then named the dead as Johnston, reportedly aged 35 or 36, and Black, reportedly aged 43 or 44. Press accounts describe Johnston as a former US Army officer and Black as a former Marine who served in Afghanistan, which the CIA and the Pentagon have not confirmed.
President Claudia Sheinbaum said on 27 May that four Americans had taken part and two had died. She said the other two, who lacked Mexican accreditation, were asked to leave the country, according to El Universal.
The Legal Fight in Mexico
On 17 October, Attorney General Ernestina Godoy described the foreigners as presumably attached to the CIA, according to Infobae. Her office accuses Chihuahua’s former attorney general, César Jáuregui Moreno, of letting them take part without federal authorisation.
State officers detained Jáuregui on Saturday, 17 October, and federal agents executed a warrant the next day. A federal judge ordered him held in pretrial detention at the Altiplano prison on 21 October, according to La Jornada, and he is presumed innocent.
Our report on the treason case against Jáuregui and our earlier story on his arrest cover the proceedings, and the Mexico hub has the latest news.
Accident, Not Attack
An expert examination confirmed that the four deaths were accidental, El Diario de Chihuahua reported on 26 May. No report says the Americans were targeted.
Initial accounts blamed a difficult dirt road and poor visibility. Reports differ on how many drug laboratories were found, from one to six.
What It Means for US Readers
The case puts rare public attention on US intelligence officers working inside Mexico during President Donald Trump’s second term. It also raises scrutiny of security cooperation that Washington relies on against fentanyl production.
Mexico’s insistence on federal approval may slow joint operations that start with state police. The dispute is likely to shape how the two governments set the rules for future security cooperation.
What Is Not Known
The CIA and the US government have not publicly confirmed the two men’s employer, and their exact status in Mexico has not been made public. Ages and some biographical details differ between reports.
Who authorised the Americans’ role is under investigation, and no court has ruled on the treason accusation. The two Americans who left Mexico have not been named.
Frequently Asked Questions
Were the two Americans confirmed as CIA officers?
The Washington Post and AP, citing sources, identified them as CIA officers, and Mexico’s attorney general described the foreigners as presumably attached to the agency. The CIA and the US government have not publicly confirmed it.
What is César Jáuregui accused of?
Federal prosecutors accuse the former Chihuahua attorney general of letting foreign agents take part in the operation without federal authorisation. A federal judge ordered him held in pretrial detention on 21 October, and he is presumed innocent.
Was the crash an attack or an accident?
An expert examination confirmed accidental deaths, according to El Diario de Chihuahua. No report says the Americans were targeted.
What happened to the other two Americans?
President Claudia Sheinbaum said on 27 May that two other Americans involved were asked to leave Mexico. Their names have not been made public.
Sources: Proceso; Infobae; El Universal; El Financiero; La Jornada; El Diario de Chihuahua; PBS NewsHour (AP) (all accessed 22 October 2026).
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief