Ruth Steinberg's unannounced burial, etc

[Doyle Phillips]

Ruth Steinberg's unannounced burial

If today's Correo is to be believed, the recently murdered Ruth Steinberg left no way to contact anyone and the authorities proceeded with burial. Presumably this means that all her property now goes to the university.

Not too long ago, Martha Roberts as U.S. Embassy Warden for the City of Guanajuato attempted to get Americans here to send to her their names and contacts in case of medical emergency and death. Hardly anyone signed up and it could be because GTO is a relatively safe place with no Americans murdered for as long as i can remember.

In Ruth's case i know of many people who knew her and who would have got involved if the situation had been publicized properly.

Tomorrow is the Mayor's open desk day and i will be going to the Police Desk to tell them to contact me in future circumstances similar to Ruth's or medical emergencies and arrests of Americans. Further i will tell them that almost always they will find the next-of-kin listed in the victim's passport and/or on any official Mexican visa papers. If there is anything similar you want me to bring to police attention please let me know immediately.

Thanks, Doyle Phillips U.S. Embassy Warden City of Guanajuato

[i]This is the automatic google translation of the Correo article, not necessarily accurate reporting:

Bury murdered American in Mellado
She was taken to the cemetery of La Luz; still not reported on the progress of crime

As was accompanied by workers from the Medical Examiner and municipal Pantheon. Photo: Saul Castro
Font size: Decrease font Enlarge font
Rosa Balderas / April 6, 2014

Almost 15 days after his (his means her in this translation) death and without which they were released advances in crime investigations, was buried the body of U.S. citizen killed in late March at his home in the neighborhood of Mellado.
The remains of the woman, who is only known named Ruth and had just over 60 years old, were not claimed by any family. She lived alone and was engaged in making handicrafts and weaving according to neighbors was a person that nobody bothered.
Nobody however, came to accompany his remains, so this Saturday, in a modest coffin navy blue with white overtones, and only with the presence of workers from the Medical Examiner and the Municipal Cemetery of La Luz, was interred .
Although his death was learned on Tuesday 25 March, it was assumed that it was an accident, and it was until the 27th of this month when the state attorney general, Carlos Zamarripa Aguirre, confirmed that this was an intentional crime, although research has not yet had.
It was confirmed that the body of the old woman, originally from Massachusetts but who had a few years of settling in the capital, had a blow to the head.
His remains were found in his garden, so input a heart attack or death from disease was presumed that the coup would have been for the fall, however, further research indicated that it was a murder.
The case attracted him the Specialized Homicide Attorney's Office, which claims that injuries to the skull base were not falling, so the investigation file 8604/2014 Unit opened.



[/i]

[laconstance]

Doyle, this is pretty awful. If the reporting is accurate, Ruth's demise bears a creepy resemblance to the murder of an older American woman in San Miguel de Allende last year: found in her garden.

Another thing you might tell the Mayor's open desk meeting is that many Americans who live abroad register with the American Embassy in that country. If Ruth was registered, and kept the registration up to date, the Mexican Embassy would have all her contact information, next of kin, etc. The municipality needs to know about Embassy registration.

[raquelita]

You probably mean the US Consulate in San Miguel but otherwise a useful post. Gerardo Araujo tried very hard to locate Ruth's next of kin but apparently found the right button too late. We should all leave our information with half a dozen people, both friends and officials. Doyle, Thanks for doing what you can.