LOS ANGELES, CA – Authorities in Los Angeles County have reported the death of a man with known cartel connections, who was fatally shot on Thanksgiving day. The slaying of Eduardo Escobedo, 39, known by his moniker “El Mago,” has rocked the Willowbrook community as investigators work to uncover the motives behind the incident.

On the fateful morning, deputies responded to gunshots to find two men deceased from their wounds and a third man injured but stable after being transported to a local medical facility. The other deceased has been identified as Guillermo De Los Angeles Jr., 47, confirmed to have connections with criminal drug activities. An investigation is ongoing, with law enforcement piecing together the events that led to the fatal confrontation.

Escobedo, also an East Los Angeles native, had a history of drug offenses and had been previously convicted for his role in a substantial marijuana distribution network. Reports suggest that he was linked to the son of the notorious cartel leader Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán. During his criminal career, Escobedo is said to have been the primary marijuana supplier to Iván Archivaldo Guzmán Salazar, further emphasizing his involvement in high-level drug trafficking operations.

Moreover, Escobedo was implicated in money laundering operations, where he allegedly funneled the profits from illegal drug sales into purchasing exotic vehicles. These vehicles were then reportedly shipped to the cartel’s stronghold in Culiacán, the capital of the Mexican state of Sinaloa. His deep-seated ties to these criminal endeavors underscore the complex web of illicit activities that span across international borders.

His conviction led to a nearly five-year federal prison sentence for conspiracy to distribute a substantial amount of marijuana. Following his release from prison in 2018, details regarding El Mago’s activities were not readily available, but his untimely death indicates the potential persistence of his connections to the criminal underworld.