Family demands justice after Rockford-area man is gunned down in Mexico

Jesus Macias' mother was his world.

During the holidays he would make the trip from Cherry Valley, a village just outside Rockford, to the Mexican state of Zacatecas so they could celebrate together. But this year's trip took a tragic turn.

On Dec. 30, Macias, 61, was driving with his mother, wife and young child on a road near Villanueva, Zacatecas, when they came upon an armed checkpoint that did not appear to be set up by law enforcement. Macias decided not to stop because he didn't like the look of the men ordering him to pull over and feared for his family. They opened fire, hitting Macias, who died in his mother's arms, his family said.

"She's never going to be able to forget what happened," said Julie Contreras, founder of United Giving Hope, who is advocating for the family.

Now, Macias' family is calling on authorities in Mexico and the United States to find his killers and for the Mexican government to do more to protect the many Mexican nationals who return to the country from the U.S. for the holidays.

“He was a father figure to me and many of us,” Macias' niece, Lucero Rivas, said at a news conference Sunday. “He was a really good man, a hardworking man, and it’s not fair that this is happening to him. Something needs to be done about it.”

Macias and his family were returning after picking up a stove for his mother when they encountered the checkpoint, his family said, adding that they believe the checkpoint was set up by a drug cartel.

Zacatecan authorities said a preliminary investigation determined the incident happened across the state border in nearby Huacasco, Jalisco, and officials in that state are leading the investigation. No arrests have been reported.

Macias, who lived in Cherry Valley, about 76 miles northwest of Chicago, was born in Huacasco and later became an American citizen. He is survived by his wife, five children and four sisters, according to his obituary.

"Jesus really was a jack of all trades, having a passion for growing his vegetable garden, his general contracting skills, and his mechanical experience when servicing his family's cars," his obituary states. "Jesus was also very friendly and loved by his community. He was known by his work peers for his humility."

The shooting in Zacatecas is the second in recent weeks to involve a Chicago-area family.

Vicente Peña Jr., 38, and Antonio “Tony” Fernandez, 44, both of Logan Square, were killed in an attack Dec. 27 in Santiago Papasquiaro, Durango. Peña's 14-year-old son was critically wounded in the shooting. Jorge Eduardo Vargas Aguirre, 22, of Mexico, was also fatally shot.

The 14-year-old is still in critical condition, but he is now receiving medical care at a hospital in the U.S. according to Contreras, who worked to get the boy back into the country.

On Monday, the attorney general for the state of Durango announced the arrest and conviction of a man named Iram Uranga Armendariz in the Dec. 27 shooting. Prosecutors said the incident was sparked by a dispute over a land deal.

Armendariz was arrested Saturday, and after agreeing to abbreviated court proceedings in exchange for less prison time, was sentenced to more than 66 years.

Contreras, whose nonprofit works in the U.S., Mexico, Central America, South America and other countries, said the family wants Macias' case to be investigated with the same speed. She called on the Mexican government to do more to stop the violence in the country and called on the U.S. State Department to investigate Macias' slaying.

“President Claudia Sheinbaum announced back in October 2024 that she was implementing a security plan that would focus on the violence," Contreras said in a statement, referring to the Mexican head of state. "Well, that plan has failed to secure the life of Jesus Macías & many other American Citizens visiting Mexico.”

In a statement, a State Department spokesperson said the department was aware of the death of a U.S. citizen in Zacatecas but did not provide further comment "out of respect for the privacy of the family and loved ones during this difficult time."

Contreras said the family and representatives of the State Department are set to have a meeting on the incident. "Justice must be served," Contreras said. "He's a U.S. citizen and his life matters to us."

Macias' body is being returned to Rockford, where his funeral will be held Wednesday.