The Mystery of Falcon Lake
On September 30th, 2010, David and Tiffany Hartley were out for a peaceful Jet Ski ride on Falcon Lake. The lake, which straddles the border between Mexico and Texas, is known as a tense area, with gang violence becoming an increasing problem - especially in the season when marijuana grows best. Nonetheless, the couple seemed oddly unconcerned as they skied around the border, despite having moved up from Mexico only recently for safety concerns.
However, the trip ended in tragedy. David was shot by probable gang members, and Tiffany only barely managed to escape. Since then, clues to the motive behind David's death and where his body might be are few and far between, and the oddities of the case continue to build up. While the Zeta cartel of Mexico seems to be behind the shooting, there are still many loose threads and missing details that make things strange.
One such oddity is the couple's presence on the lake in the first place. As former residents of Mexico and as residents of a town near the border, the couple had to have been aware about the dangers of the lake. Skiing there seems like an odd choice under the circumstances, given the dangers and problems inherent in doing so. But by all accounts they were rather casual about it.
The motives behind the shooting are also unclear. The couple looked nothing like drug runners, especially the slender, youthful Tiffany, and it is unknown what the motive of the gang might have been. The mistaken identity theory is the most prevalent, but as mentioned above, it seems like a particularly odd thing to mistake. Other theories hold that the shooters were newly-recruited teens whose reflexes were a little too hair trigger, causing them to fire unneeded. Still, no one theory can be proven yet.
The location of David's body is another problem. A Mexican investigator who was searching for clues to its location and the identity of the shooters was cruelly beheaded, apparently as a sign to others who might wish to investigate the case. Since then, Mexican authorities have apparently dropped the case entirely, afraid for their lives. The location of the body is thus still unknown, leaving Tiffany with an empty grave.
With the Mexican government unwilling to investigate further and with Tiffany now moving to escape the incident, the facts of the case may never be fully uncovered. This sudden shooting on an otherwise peaceful day will remain a mystery until someone is brave and smart enough to finally bring the grieving Tiffany closure on the past.
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