In March 2012, Miguel Torres Sandoval was cleaning the kitchen at El Fogón del Norte in Chihuahua when a loose floor tile caught his attention. Beneath it, he uncovered a metal box wrapped in plastic. Inside were Polaroid photos, a silver ring, a journal, and an old restaurant ID card for a waitress named Rosa Delgado Morales, who had vanished the year before.
The journal’s last entry read: “If anything happens to me, find Aurelio. He knows everything about this dirty business.” The photographs showed suspicious scenes inside the restaurant, including stacks of documents, unexplained vehicles, and men handling money.
Intrigued, Miguel researched Rosa online. A brief 2011 article reported she disappeared during a night shift, with police suspecting cartel involvement. Determined to help, Miguel contacted her sisters, Carmen and Sandra, who confirmed Rosa had been frightened of Aurelio, the manager. They revealed her final message: “If I don’t arrive tomorrow, look at my work. Aurelio, it’s not what it seems.”
With the sisters’ support, Miguel brought the evidence to authorities, sparking a renewed investigation. Rosa’s hidden clues suggested she had uncovered something far darker than anyone realized.
