Bodies of seven musicians found in Nuevo León well

Anybody can die in Mexico's drug war - anybody

*Updated Jan. 29*
Guadalajara -
The bodies of seven members of the popular musical group Kombo Kolombia have been found in a well near the town of Mina, in Mexico's northern Nuevo León state.

The corpses, dressed in the group's customary stage clothing, were located on a ranch known as El Coyote. Authorities expect to find more.

The entire group disappeared Thursday evening (Jan. 24) after being hired to perform at a private party near Hidalgo. A single member of the band managed to escape from what could prove to be a narco revenge execution. He helped police locate the gruesome murder scene.

N.L. Governor Rodrigo Medina told the press, "We're looking for other members. We're investigating the motive, to find out exactly what happened."

Family members contacted law enforcement officials on Friday when their loved ones failed to return home after the scheduled performance. As many as 20 persons, including band members and crew, went missing. All may be victims.

The recovered bodies were taken to Monterrey for examination by forensic pathologists.

Executions of artists, singers and musical groups are not unprecedented in this country. Several performers have been killed after composing works which angered drug lords or organized crime bosses, for allegedly failing to show them proper respect or recognition. The lack of due deference can sometimes lead to a death sentence. Drug war violence against Mexican musicians

Jan. 29 - 17 members of Kombo Kolombia have now been identified, according to local press reports. Family members of the victims said the group was invited on Thursday to perform for a private party of 50. But it was all a ruse. The location they were directed to turned out to be a remote ranch which belongs to drug traffickers in the area. All of the band and staff were executed. They ranged in age from their 20s to 40s. One person survived, but authorities have not explained how he escaped. He's under tight federal protection today. The survivor told police that the band members were questioned at length by the assailants, a heavily armed team of at least 10, about whether they were selling drugs for another cartel. The implication of one press report is that Kombo Kolombia might have had links to Los Zetas, but that has not been confirmed. The same report said that the group frequently performed in "dives." Initial forensic reports said the victims were blindfolded and had been tortured. The ranch area is about 140 miles south of Laredo, Texas, near a main highway between Monterrey and Monclova, Coahuila. Drug routes in the area are hotly disputed by Los Zetas and the Gulf Cartel.

Including the Kombo Kolombia victims, Nuevo León has recorded at least 85 narco executions since Jan. 1 - almost three a day.

The capital of Nuevo León is Monterrey, one of the most violent cities in Mexico. It's been the scene of dozens of horrific organized crime executions since the drug war was launched in December 2006. The state shares a border with Texas.

Jan. 23 - Rampant kidnappings present a grave threat to Mexico's stability. And here's one who just got away with the crime, on hyper technicalities: No justice for Mexicans in Florence Cassez ruling.