A University of California, Berkeley student was killed in Mexico last week while doing plant research.
The family of Gabriel Trujillo said the PH.D. student was shot and killed in Sonora. At the time of his death, he was collecting “plant samples for his PH.D. research on the evolutionary origins of Buttonwillow.”
His family said in a statement he had spoken with his fiancé on the morning of June 19 and said he would call her later. When he didn’t call later on, his finance filed a missing person’s report with the Oakland Police Department, who contacted authorities in Mexico.
“His fiancé flew to Mexico to work with the authorities to launch the search for him,” the family said.
Trujillo’s body was found inside his car and it appeared that he had been shot several times.
UC Berkeley said in a statement to KGO that police are investigating.
“This is heartbreaking news and campus officials have reached out to his family to offer support and assistance,” they said.
Two funeral services will be held. One will be held in Fenton, Michigan on July 5th and 6. Another funeral in Oakland, California will be held at a later date.
A GoFundMe was created to pay for the costs of bringing Trujillo’s body back to the U.S. as well as to pay for the funerals.
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