The Matamoros Cult Killings
The Narco-Satanists Raise Hell
As the Halloween season approaches each year, tales of the supernatural, the eerie, and the macabre come to the forefront of our collective consciousness. However, amidst the colorful costumes, jack-o'-lanterns, and spooky stories, there exist true horror stories that transcend fiction.
In this edition of POP ‘N’ PIZZA, we examine the chilling saga of the Matamoros Cult Killings — a tale of ritualistic murder, twisted belief systems, and unbelievable cruelty. Read on, if you dare…
Adolfo Constanzo & Sara Aldrete
Cuban-American Adolfo de Jesús Constanzo was a charismatic and sadistic drug trafficker who believed himself to be a sorcerer. Constanzo, also known as "El Padrino" (The Godfather), was a master manipulator, using his charm to draw vulnerable individuals into his web of darkness. He led a cult — dubbed “Los Narcosatánicos” (The Narco-Satanists) — that blended elements of Santería, Palo Mayombe, Vodou, and other occult practices.
Openly bisexual, Constanzo had multiple male and female lovers whom he recruited into his cult. Among them was a tall, pretty college student named Sara Aldrete, who would become his second-in-command. Known as "La Madrina" (The Godmother), Aldrete served as Constanzo's witch and aided in his vile rituals.
The Cult's Beliefs and Rituals
The beliefs of Constanzo and his followers were a fusion of religious syncretism and twisted superstitions. They believed that they could gain supernatural powers and protection from the law by conducting rites involving human sacrifices. These ceremonies, performed on their remote ranch, Rancho Santa Elena, included gruesome acts that defied comprehension.
The Murder of Mark Kilroy
In the spring of 1989, Mark Kilroy, a 21-year-old college student from Texas, was looking forward to a carefree spring break trip with friends to Matamoros, a Mexican city directly across the border from Brownsville, Texas.
Little did he know that this fateful journey would lead him into the clutches of the Narco-Satanists. On the night of March 14, 1989, Kilroy was abducted by Constanzo's followers as he wandered the streets of Matamoros. His abductors took him to the ranch, where he was tortured and sodomized for hours before being murdered in a human sacrifice ritual.
Kilroy was killed with a machete blow to the head. His brain and heart were removed and boiled in a cauldron with blood, spiders, and scorpions. The resulting brew from the iron kettle was then consumed by the cult so they could be sanctified. His killers then inserted a wire through his spinal column, amputated his legs at the knees, and buried him at the ranch with 14 other people who had been killed before him.
As for the wire, it had been attached to Kilroy’s spinal column so that when his body decomposed, members of the cult could pull up the vertebrae to make a necklace…
The Discovery and the Confrontation
Unfortunately for Constanzo, Kilroy’s uncle was a special agent with the U.S. Customs Service, and within days his disappearance was investigated by multiple law enforcement agencies from both countries.
On May 6, 1989, Mexican police tracked Constanzo, Aldrete, and several other cult members to an apartment building in Mexico City. Following a 45-minute shootout, Constanzo ordered his followers to kill him and his lover Martin Quintana Rodriguez with their machine guns, rather than let them be captured alive. His followers were arrested and would ultimately face the consequences of their nightmarish actions.
Aldrete was arrested at the scene and imprisoned in Santa Martha Acatitla, a women's prison in Mexico City. In 1994, she was sentenced to 62 years in prison. She was convicted of multi-homicide (31 years), possession of narcotics (12 years), involvement in organized crime (5 years), police impersonation (2 years), illegal body desecration (2 years), and illegal possession of firearms (10 years). Her sentence was later reduced to 50 years. Her expected release date, if she is not granted an early release appeal, is in 2039.
The Aftermath and Legacy
The Matamoros cult killings sent shockwaves through both Mexico and the United States. It was a dark and disturbing chapter in the annals of crime that challenged the limits of cruelty. The legacy of this horrific event endures as a haunting reminder of the depths to which human beings can descend under the sway of delusional ideologies and malicious leaders.
The story of the Matamoros Cult Killings serves as a chilling reminder that true horror is found in the twisted minds of those who commit unspeakable acts of violence. It is a tale that compels us to confront the disturbing potential within humanity itself — a darkness that can surface when belief systems are warped to serve the most malevolent of purposes.
To combat the darkness and brutality of people like Constanzo, Mark’s parents, Jim and Helen Kilroy, have established the Mark Kilroy Foundation, a non-profit organization providing anti-drug scholarships, at-risk youth intervention, and summer programs.