"There are sleeper cells in the U.S.," said Detective Garcia. When developing to the teenage years, they had dropped out of school and had become friends with bad influences. Rosalio Reta and his friend, Gabriel Cardona, were members of a three-person cell of American teenagers working as cartel hit men in the United States, according to prosecutors. Lopez allegedly worked for Teo, a drug lord from the Tijuana area, and allegedly helped the drug cartel dispose of hundreds of victims by dissolving them in acid. Cardona laughs as he describes torturing the two boys and dumping their bodies in large metal drums filled with diesel fuel. Verified account Protected Tweets @; Suggested users PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. 'It was like regular military training, like what they do here in the United States,' he told CNN. IE 11 is not supported. Reta and other teenagers were groomed and made to carry out assassinations on both sides of the border. But then there are those eyes tattooed on his eyelids. The former editor of the Daily Dots Unclick section, Klees essays, satire, and fiction have appeared inLaphams Quarterly,Vanity Fair,3:AM,Salon,the Awl,the New York Observer,the Millions, and the Village Voice. Rosalio Reta was born in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico in 1990, and he was raised on both sides of the United States-Mexico border. They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!, This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. Humans could have wings, tentacles or an extra ARM 'in the next few decades' thanks to leaps in human DIY fruit and veg! Reta's first kill was at 13 years old. TV Shows. The job of a cartel assassin isnt one most people grow old and retire from. The teenagers lived in several safe houses around Laredo and drove around town in a $70,000 Mercedes-Benz. Reta killed his first victim at 13 years old, when a drug lord handed him a gun and commanded him to shoot another man. It was real hard for me. Whatever Reta's true feelings about his past are, the facts have remained consistent. Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account. Cardona and Reta say they were paid thousands of dollars a week just to be available ready at all times to answer the call to kill. He knew he'd pay for the mistake with his life. Their short but bloody careers came crashing down swiftly, one after the other. You'll be able to access your notes and highlights, make requests, and get updates on new titles. Click through the slideshow to view infamous Mexican hitmen. As a 13-year-old, Reta was at school. Reta grew up in Laredo, Texas, on the U.S.-Mexico border, and joined the Zetas at just 13 years old, after meeting its second-in-command, Miguel Trevio. Wife is shocked after husband of 15 years asks for permission to have an affair: 'I don't know what to do'. Top dog: Miguel ngel Trevio was at the head of the most vicious, violent and depraved of Mexico's drug cartels until his arrest last month. He was freed in November 2013, and sent to a support center in San Antonio. As '24 nears, FL Gov. They either end up in prison, or its likely their tortured corpse will be left along a blood-soaked path to nowhere in the Mexican countryside. Teachers and parents! "At a time I liked studying, I was always a boy who dreamed, until I stopped dreaming," Jimenez told a group of students in 2013, according to a Proceso article. Reta was trained in a secret camp where he learned how to be a sicario, a hitman. Featuring his first-ever on-camera interview, this is the extraordinary story of Rosalio 'Bart' Reta. The teenager turned himself in to Mexican police, then called Detective Garcia to ask to be extradited to the U.S., fearing reprisal for his error, or from rival gang member. The third was arrested by Mexican authorities and stabbed to death in prison there three days later. He still faces separate charges in another killing in Laredo that was allegedly carried out on the orders of the Mexican Gulf Cartel. Reta, a U.S. citizen, was extradited last year from Mexico to face charges in Flores's death. Ive come to regret everything Ive done, Reta said. PDF downloads of all 1699 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. Rosalio Reta and his friend, Gabriel Cardona, were members of a three-person cell of American teenagers working as cartel hit men in the United States, according to prosecutors. Rosalio Reta was just 13 when he committed his first murder for the Zetas drug cartel; . Eventually Laredo police detectives zeroed in on the teen assassins. Some are teenagers, some are from Texas, and some are still on the run. Rosalio Reta(born 1990) was an enforcer for the Los Zetas gang in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas during the 2000s. "Under the circumstances, it was the best we could do," Pena said of the plea. TRAGEDY: Mexico's drug war claims thousands of lives every single year (Image: GETTY) It was real hard for me. In a particularly nightmarish anecdote, Reta describes how Trevio tortured two brothers and finally forced one to kill the other, promising to release the killerwhom he in turn killed anyway. At age 13, the Laredo, Texas, native was brought into the notorious Zetas drug cartel across the border in Mexico, where . Rosalio Reta (born 1990) was an enforcer for the Los Zetas gang in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas during the 2000s. Movies. The way the content is organized. Cardona is asked, "Where else are the Zetas?" Reta was one of 10 children and Cardona was one of five boys whose father disappeared early in his life. Rosalio Reta, 19, serving 70 years in a Texas prison, paid a fellow inmate to tattoo his face. Since age 14 I was in court. Trevino, 40, faces charges of organized crime, homicide, torture and money laundering, a Mexican government security spokesman told reporters in July. He was sentenced to more than 80 years in prison. OG Shadow's channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGlNhxVZxIJ_7KhgdmaO2QQInterview with OG Shadow: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kDPbfrmEncPrison Questions Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPT_cCpNMvT4gP9OHCrUphCxJYdH06b7EShaun's true crime podcast: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPT_cCpNMvT50d_7cJ55ciKoZEY8q_YPtShaun's books: https://shaunattwood.com/shaun/books/Shaun's UK tour dates: http://shaunattwood.com/category/events/Website: http://shaunattwood.com/ Blog: http://jonsjailjournal.blogspot.co.uk/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/shaunattwood Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shaun-Attwood/228166633865948#cartel #narcos #warondrugs #mexico Reta dropped out sixth grade; Cardona left school in ninth grade. Emanuel Arriaga, a spokesman for the Nuevo Leon state Attorney General's office, said Wednesday that prosecutors in Monterrey couldn't link Reta to any killings. The friends were mingling with questionable characters but he was curious about the narco world. He was sentenced to more than 80 years in prison. He's the author of two odd books of fiction, 'Ivyland' and 'True False. At 17, he was convicted for two murders and sentenced to 70 years in a Texas states prison in 2007. Rosalio "Bart" Reta, 17, was immediately sentenced to 40 years in prison. In this conversation. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Rosalio Reta, convicted drug cartel assassin Over the years the ramshackle neighborhood has developed into a discarded border region where homes sit on dilapidated foundations and families live. Michael Stravato for The New York Times The cases against Cardona and Reta -- both are in prison serving long prison sentences for murder -- shed new light into the workings of the drug cartels. By 19, he was locked in a Texas prison in solitary confinement, facing 70 years jail for murder. The third member of the group, Gabriel Cardona, pleaded guilty and is serving an 80-year sentence. 'The best we could do'Reta decided to plead guilty, but retain his right to appeal, after his statement to police was allowed as evidence over his attorney's objections, said the attorney, Eduardo Pena. H/T Gawker | Photo via The I Files/YouTube, Miles Klee is a novelist and web culture reporter. The men say cartel leaders provided them with a house and extravagant cars. Biography Rosalio Reta was born in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico in 1990, and he was raised on both sides of the United States - Mexico border. And these kids all have that romantic notion they are going to live forever. Reta watched others respond to Trevinos tough leadership. Some like it, NOT! Reta said he began to fear that rival cartel members were getting close to killing him as retribution, so while working on an assignment in Monterrey, Mexico, he called a contact at the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency and surrendered. But former member Rosalio Reta told Reveal that Morales' propensity for psychological torture made him an equally terrifying killer. 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We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Last month, Zetas leader Miguel ngel Trevio, widely believed to be responsible for escalating the depraved and sadistic wave of narco-terror occurring along the borderlands, was arrested. He graduated to smuggling drugs and weapons across the Rio Grande. CNN was first to broadcast the police interrogation videos from which the world first learned about Reta and Cardona, sparking worldwide fascination with both men and making them infamous legends of a narco world. Before Trevios capture and arrest by Mexican marines a week ago, the Center for Investigative Reporting spoke with Reta about his horrific experience as a murderous cog in Los Zetas. Cardona and Reta didnt last long in that world. US-born Jimenez Lugo was convicted at age 14 for working as a hitman for a Mexican drug gang, the South Pacific drug cartel. Release Calendar Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Movie News India Movie Spotlight. He says he made "guiso," or stew, with their bodies. 'I'm really a good person," he told CNN recently. They each say they lived the life for about three years, Cardona from age 16 to 19; Reta, from age 13 to 16. 'Cell' of young enforcersThe accused ring leader in the Flores killing, Jesus "Jesse" Gonzales, fled to Mexico after making bail. The third was. But the kind of mischief Reta would get up to in his young life couldn't be more different from the cartoon kid's boyish pranks. March 17, 2009 Rosalio Reta has claimed to police that he killed 30 people. ', Black woman says man repeatedly tried to break into her room at 1am in D.C. hotel, suspects trafficking ring (updated), Why is this still happening man: Student film aftermath of school shooting in viral TikToks, We have to be careful: Woman shares scary experience with Bolt taxi driver amid recent U.K. murders (updated), Coroner confirms Gabby Petitos remains found in Wyoming, death ruled a homicide, *First Published: Jul 22, 2013, 3:04 pm CDT. Rosalio Reta, convicted drug cartel assassin. They offered a first-hand glimpse inside the sinister world of drug cartels, a world that plagues innocent people on both sides of the border. Gladiator sequel starring Paul Mescal gets release date CONFIRMED for late 2024 - 24 years after original . Gabriel Cardona, who shows his tattooed eyelids, worked as a hit man for a Mexican cartel. This Houston rodeo food vendor wants you to eat his rattlesnake. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. I learned about drugs, theft, vandalism and fights. Reta's face became covered in tattoo markings. I couldnt believe what I was seeing. All too quickly, he found himself, a young teenager, witnessing Trevios frequent executions at a small ranch house in Nuevo Laredo. And like everything in the violent world of drug cartels, unraveling truth and myth seems fleeting. Watch: Astros SP Luis Garcia debuts new windup after rule changes, Oops! Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much That clue unraveled the chilling reality and led police to arrest Gabriel Cardona and Rosalio Reta. SHARN STEINMANN/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Lori Garcia . For years, Trevino was the unrivaled leader of the ruthless Zetas drug cartel until police arrested him last month just outside Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. Rosalio Reta was just 13 years old when Miguel Trevio, leader of the ruthless Zetas, the paramilitary wing of Mexico's Gulf Cartel, recruited him as a killer. In the statement, Reta admitted being the driver of the car they used to go kill Flores. His feelings about his bloody work have changed over the years, from chilling braggadocio as a 19-year-old in police interviews, to softly spoken, wet-eyed pleas for understanding in his latest interviews. Reta didn&#8217 In 2009 Cardona was arrested and pleaded guilty to killing seven men and to conspiracy to kidnap and kill in a foreign country. On the surface, Gabriel Cardonas eyes belong to a baby face. 4, 2008) From Casetext: Smarter Legal Research RETA v. STATE Court of Appeals of Texas, Fourth District, San Antonio He said he was under influence of drugs and forced to carry out murders, or cartel leaders would kill him. . When Reta arrived at the ranch, it was a crash course in drug cartel culture. Case Details Full title:Rosalio RETA, Appellant v. The STATE of Texas, Appellee Court:Court of Appeals of Texas, Fourth District, San Antonio Date published: Jun 4, 2008 CitationsCopy Citation No. Menu. The American teen had never before met anyone who carried a pistol adorned with such an unforgettable decoration: the number 40 encrusted in diamonds on the handle. "They were just kids themselves, waiting around playing PlayStation or Xbox, waiting around for the order to be given.". Investigators found a fingerprint on a cigarette box inside the suspected shooter's get-away car. Cardona and Reta grew up on Lincoln Street in Laredo, just a few blocks from the citys largest border crossing checkpoint. When orders from cartel leaders came, the men would begin hunting their prey. Assistant District Attorney Jesse Guillen said the trial in the second case against Reta would likely start soon and would give authorities another chance to add time to the teen's prison sentence. In interviews with CNN, Laredo police detectives and prosecutors . Although Z-40 virtually ruled northern Mexico without fear, as Reta came to know him he began to see Trevino as a regular guy. They were torturing people and getting information from them, said Reta. Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. He was sentenced to 70 years in prison for his murders. When you see those, they seem like the window into the cold, calculated soul that made Cardona a notoriously effective killer for the Zetas. The following record for Rosalio Reta was recently collected from the state department of corrections website of Texas, of those serving a term of correctional supervision. People getting tortured, killed, decapitated. Investigators say Cardona and Reta were paid $500 a week each as a retainer, to sit and wait for the call to kill. Harry Anslinger employed Joe Arpaio in 1957 to be an agent in the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, and he rose through the bureau over decades. Some, like the cartel hitman Rosalio Reta and the sadistic sheriff Joe Arpaio, are partially responsible for its violence.Others, like the addiction doctor Gabor Mat and the former president of Switzerland, Ruth Dreifuss . If you believe this Record is in error (i.e. Our, "Sooo much more helpful thanSparkNotes. At an age when most kids are starting high school, Texas teen Rosalio Reta, now 24, was carrying out bloody murders for one of Mexico's most sadistic and violent drug cartels. 4:56 PM EDT, Tue August 6, 2013, a Mexican government security spokesman told reporters in July. Reta has bizarre markings around his eyes; Cardona has drawings of eyeballs tattooed on his eyelids. Once he bragged to police, 'If I cannot hit you in the forehead from a distance, I will kneel down in front of you and put my forehead against the muzzle of your gun. 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