A 34-year-old mother of two left her family to go shopping one morning but never made it back home. Renya Gonazales’ husband, a police officer named Bruno Portillo, launched a search for her and uncovered a shocking revelation.
Bruno and his colleagues discovered a series of crimes committed by a previously unsuspected serial killer when they found out what had happened to Renya. This killer would lure victims from nightclubs, take them to his home, murder them, dismember their bodies, and consume them.
The serial killer, Andres Filomeno Mendoza, aged 72, was a respected member of the community and even held a leadership position in a local political group. For two decades, he had been carrying out his gruesome acts without detection until the disappearance of Renya brought his crimes to light.
When Bruno visited Mendoza’s home seeking information about his missing wife, he was denied entry, raising suspicions. Upon returning with law enforcement, they made a horrifying discovery of Renya’s remains in Mendoza’s kitchen. The police found evidence linking him to numerous missing women cases and unearthed more victim remains in his residence.
Dubbed the “Cannibal of Atizapan,” Mendoza shocked his neighbors with his affable demeanor despite the gruesome findings in his home. Disturbingly, a notebook containing names of 30 women, along with bones and videotapes of murders, were uncovered. By 2021, 19 sets of remains had been identified, including women, a child, and a man.
Mendoza was sentenced to life in prison for Renya’s murder and confessed to consuming parts of his victims, particularly those who rejected his advances. His depraved acts included skinning a victim he found attractive.