Family Wonders if Father’s Past in Mexico Is Tied to His Slaying

Last week, Felipe Gutierrez Nino repeated to his daughter what he had told his wife for years: “When I pass away, it will be on the news.”

“He told me, ‘Don’t buy expensive flowers, don’t wear black clothes, because I know the pain is not on the outside,’ ” recalled Elizabeth Nino.

Days later, last Friday, Nino was shot to death at close range in the parking lot of his family’s Santa Ana apartment as he left for work at a local Mexican restaurant.

The shooting marked an end to the 53-year-old’s odyssey from Mexican federal police officer and former bodyguard for the governor of Morelos state to the streets of Santa Ana, where he came four months ago to visit his grandchildren.

Like detectives, Elizabeth Nino and other family members remain baffled by the case. He had no known enemies in Mexico or the United States, they say. After a 22-year career in the military police, he retired in 1984 to the Mexican countryside and what they describe as a peaceful life.

Santa Ana police had no leads in the case Thursday and are turning to Mexican authorities to determine whether Nino’s work in law enforcement might have played a role in his death.

Some relatives “felt there might be someone, because of his past employment with the federal police, that might be after him,” Sgt. Raul Luna said.

But several family members disputed that theory, saying they doubted his police career played a role in his death. “We never thought this would happen,” said son-in-law Jorge Andrade.

In the tiny Mexican village of Carabalincito in Guerrero state, Nino’s widow and neighbors are still waiting for his body. About 100 people live in the town, located two hours by car from Acapulco.

“He always told us his death would make news,” said Bernarda Gutierrez, his wife. “Now it has come to pass. It is sad.”

Nino was something of a celebrity in his hometown, which has only one telephone. His family said he was known as the honorary sheriff and most people knew him by name.

Nino worked raising cows and sheep. He also worked off and on providing security at a jewelry store in a nearby city, and at the federal Social Security office, they said.

Family members agree that if someone had wanted to kill Nino, they could have done so while he was at his remote 10-acre ranch, where there isn’t even a street light.

His wife said Nino often lamented that they did not know many of their grandchildren because they lived in the United States. So in October, he came north for an extended visit with family in Santa Ana. After a while, his children convinced him to stay on for a while and take a job.

He became one of them, rising each morning about 6 a.m. for his janitorial job. Sometimes he and daughter Verna, 17, would leave the house together, she for school.

A week ago, Verna was running late. She was still getting ready in the family’s one-bedroom apartment on Brook Street when he left.

She heard the shot but didn’t think much of it because the family heard them on occasion. Then, a neighbor tapped on the kitchen window.

“It’s your father,” she said.

Verna ran out to see Nino on the ground. At first, she and sister Elizabeth thought he might be experiencing the sort of gastritis that had landed him in a hospital emergency room a few weeks before.

Then they realized their father was dead.

A week later, detectives have still not been able to learn much about Nino’s police career and have no witnesses to the crime.

Nino attended a party at the apartment complex late Thursday night, and police are also looking at whether he got into any arguments there. The shooting could have been a botched robbery, but his wallet was still in his pocket with a small amount of money.

“Whoever it was waited for him,” said son Felipe Gutierrez. “He was the only target. Other people leave for work at that time. They wanted him. It scares us.”