MEXICO CITY — 1942 · Serial Murder

Goyo Cárdenas — "The Tacuba Strangler"

SolvedSources: ALast updated: 14 October 2026

Chemistry student Gregorio "Goyo" Cárdenas Hernández killed four girls and young women, three of them aged 16, at his home in Mexico City's Tacuba district in August and September 1942 and buried them in the garden. After his neighbours grew suspicious and alerted police, Cárdenas, who had checked himself into a psychiatric hospital, was arrested there on 7 September 1942; the bodies were found in the garden. Considered one of Mexico's first serial killer cases, it dragged on for years amid debate over his sanity. Cárdenas studied law in Lecumberri prison. In 1976 he was pardoned by President Luis Echeverría and applauded in Congress as an "example of rehabilitation", which is still criticised today for what it says about attitudes to violence against women.

Date: 1942
Place: Tacuba, Mexico, Mexico City, MX
Category: Serial Murder
Case Status: Solved
Coordinates: 19.4600, -99.1900 ↗

Timeline of Events

August 1942The first killing took place at the house in Tacuba.
7 September 1942Cárdenas was arrested at a psychiatric hospital; the bodies were found in the garden.
1940sCárdenas was tried and held in Lecumberri prison.
1947He escaped from prison but was recaptured.
1976He was pardoned by President Echeverría.

Sources

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