Cousins, Age 70 and 85, Die in Pistol Duel
Thu Mar 11, 2004
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Two Mexican peasant farmers, cousins age 70 and 85, argued for years over water rights and finally faced off in an old-fashioned pistol duel that killed both, a judicial official said Wednesday.
Manuel Orozco and Candelario Orozco, who were also brothers-in-law, shot each other dead in the middle of a field Monday night in the western state of Jalisco.
Their bodies were found only 11 feet apart with one fatal bullet wound each and two pistols lying nearby.
"Initial investigations are along the lines that it was a duel because of family problems," said Jose Ramirez, spokesman for the Jalisco state prosecutor's office.
Manuel, 70, fired a .45 caliber Colt pistol and his 85-year-old cousin was packing a .22 caliber pistol.
Jalisco is the traditional home of mariachi music and the distilled spirit tequila, and is known in Mexico for its macho culture.
The two men had long debated ownership of a water spring that Candelario used to irrigate a small corn plot near the town of Pihuamo.
The disagreement began to get out of hand when a water pipe broke recently.
"Their relatives had spoken to them to get them to solve it but, as you know, older people are a bit more stubborn and obstinate and they never reached an agreement," Ramirez said.
Thu Mar 11, 2004
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Two Mexican peasant farmers, cousins age 70 and 85, argued for years over water rights and finally faced off in an old-fashioned pistol duel that killed both, a judicial official said Wednesday.
Manuel Orozco and Candelario Orozco, who were also brothers-in-law, shot each other dead in the middle of a field Monday night in the western state of Jalisco.
Their bodies were found only 11 feet apart with one fatal bullet wound each and two pistols lying nearby.
"Initial investigations are along the lines that it was a duel because of family problems," said Jose Ramirez, spokesman for the Jalisco state prosecutor's office.
Manuel, 70, fired a .45 caliber Colt pistol and his 85-year-old cousin was packing a .22 caliber pistol.
Jalisco is the traditional home of mariachi music and the distilled spirit tequila, and is known in Mexico for its macho culture.
The two men had long debated ownership of a water spring that Candelario used to irrigate a small corn plot near the town of Pihuamo.
The disagreement began to get out of hand when a water pipe broke recently.
"Their relatives had spoken to them to get them to solve it but, as you know, older people are a bit more stubborn and obstinate and they never reached an agreement," Ramirez said.
