By Nancy Caouette
MEXICO CITY
The fugitive mayor of Iguala and his wife who are wanted in the disappearance of 43 students from a southwestern teaching college, were arrested early Tuesday in Mexico City, police said.
The arrest of Jose Luis Abarca and his wife Maria de los Angeles Pineda occurred more than a month after local police in Iguala, about 120 miles south of Mexico City, opened fire on demonstrating students from the rural college, causing six deaths and 43 disappearances.
The couple was captured by federal police in a house in the eastern district in the city where the pair was hiding out inside for weeks, according to local media.
Shortly after the Sept. 26 shooting, Abarca withdrew as mayor and the couple vanished.
An arrest warrant was issued for the pair after evidence suggested they were involved in the disappearances. The couple is known to have ties to organized crime and police also say that Pineda’s family is linked to well-known drug traffickers. According to Mexico's attorney general's office, a suspect who was detained gave evidence that Pineda was a high-ranking member of Guerrero Unidos, or United Worriors, a gang with strong ties to Iguala authorities.
The investigation into the missing students uncovered strong connections between drug gangs and state and local authorities. The scandal eventually forced the resignation of Angel Aguirre, the governor of Guerrero state.
Forensic experts continue to investigate and conduct test on at least 38 bodies found in about 12 clandestine mass graves near Iguala.
Mexican authorities have so far arrested 56 police officers, and suspected gang and organized crime members in the case.
The disappearance has garnered international attention and growing public anger against President Enrique Pena Nieto for not doing more to find the students.
A massive march from Iguala to Mexico City began Monday by organizers from 43 organizations. March organizers call themselves 43 for 43 and plan to reach the capital by the week's end.
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