Cartel Suspected of American Kidnappings Issues Alleged Apology Letter | VIDEO

4 Americans in Mexico kidnapping have lengthy rap sheets: Male survivor 'sold crack cocaine outside school,' one of men shot dead was busted for drugs manufacture and woman was indicted after daughter

Mexico Kidnapping Victims (From Michele Williams & Facebook)

The cartel believed responsible for the armed kidnapping last week that killed two American tourists and a Mexican woman in Matamoros, Mexico, issued an apology letter and handed over five of their members to local authorities, according to images circulating online and a version of the letter obtained by CNN from an official familiar with the ongoing investigation.

The source told CNN that investigators believe the letter to be authentic.

“The [Gulf Cartel] apologizes to the society of Matamoros, the relatives of Ms. Areli, and the affected American people and families,” reads the handwritten letter, referring to a Mexican woman who was also killed in the shootout.

The bodies of the two Americans killed in the kidnapping were delivered Thursday to US diplomatic authorities, according to a Mexican official. Two other American tourists survived the kidnapping.

n one of the photos posted online, five men can be seen lying face down and restrained on the pavement with their shirts pulled over their faces. Uniformed authorities are seen standing over them.

“The Gulf Cartel, Scorpion Group, strongly condemns the events of last Friday,” the letter continues, referring to a division of the cartel. “For this reason, we decided to hand over those directly involved and responsible for the acts, who at all times acted under their own determination and indiscipline and against the rules in which the [Gulf Cartel] always operates.”

CNN cannot confirm the authenticity of the photos and has asked Mexican and US authorities for comment.

It is common for Mexican cartels, especially in the northeast of the country, to release messages to the authorities or rival groups in the aftermath of high-profile incidents, according to Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera, a professor at George Mason University who studies the cartels.

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Four U.S. citizens who were kidnapped in Mexico by the notorious criminal and drug syndicate Gulf Cartel have lengthy criminal rap sheets.
Latavia McGee, Eric Williams, Zindell Brown and Shaeed Woodard traveled to the U.S.-Mexico border town Matamoros on Friday when they were caught in crossfire and abducted. Brown and Woodard didn't survive.
DailyMail.com can reveal that Williams was previously busted for 'distributing crack near a school,' while McGee has been slapped with 'unlawful conduct towards a child,' when her daughter tested positive for amphetamines.

Woodard was charged with the 'manufacturing and possession' of drugs and pleaded guilty, while Brown was also charged for 'possession of marijuana or hashish.'

The four were found in a rundown stash house near a place known as La Lagunona in the town of El Tecolote - about six-and-a-half-miles from where they were taken. 

Latavia 'Tay' McGee was previously indicted on March 3, 2016 on five counts of unlawful conduct towards a child, a daughter who was eight at the time

Eric Williams was previously busted for 'distributing crack near a school'

Zindell Brown, who was also killed, was accused of domestic violence in the first degree in July 2019, which was determined as Nolle Pro, which means abandoned 

Pictured: Shaeed Woodard. Four U.S. citizens who were kidnapped in Mexico by the notorious criminal and drug syndicate Gulf Cartel have lengthy criminal rap sheets

These are the current travel advisories for Mexico from the US government. Only two states - Yucatan and Campeche - are completely free of advisories 

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Latavia Washington McGee and Eric James Williams survived an attack and kidnapping in Mexico

The two Americans who authorities say were kidnapped in Mexico and found dead have been identified as Shaeed Woodard and Zindell Brown, a US official familiar with the ongoing investigation according to CNN.

Their bodies will be examined by Mexican authorities before their remains are turned over to the US government, the source said.

Eric Williams was found on Tuesday alive with non-life-threatening gunshot wounds to his legs five days after he and his friends were accosted by a Mexican cartel

He was among three others who traveled down to Mexico to support his friend Latavia 'Tay' McGee (pictured) at a scheduled tummy tuck surgery

McGee was uninjured but Williams had been shot in the left leg - the injury was non-life-threatening

The two survivors have been identified as Latavia Washington McGeeand Eric Williams, according to the source. The pair was taken to a Texas hospital for treatment and observation.

The Americans’ families have been notified, the official indicated.

The Mexican government said at a press conference that Washington McGee was found uninjured and Williams suffered a bullet wound to the leg.