branch death_place death_date birth_place allegiance unit placeofburial_label battles placeofburial rank article_title name
mexican naval infantry cuernavaca , morelos , mexico 16 december 2009 villahermosa , tabasco , mexico mexico fuerzas especiales place of burial mexican . drug war , death of arturo beltrán leyva villahermosa , tabasco cemetery tercer maestre melquisedet angulo córdova
 algún chanate
melquisedet angulo córdova

melquisedet angulo córdova was a mexican 3rd petty officer with the navy 's special forces .
he was from tabasco .
córdova was killed on december 16 , 2009 during a gun battle in cuernavaca against members of the beltrán-leyva cartel .
córdova was among the military forces that surrounded an upscale apartment complex harboring arturo beltrán leyva , the cartel leader and one of the three most wanted criminals in mexico .
córdova and two other navy personnel were wounded by a hand grenade , and córdova succumbed to his injuries as he was being treated by medical personnel .
he was the only special forces soldier killed during the gunfight .
arturo beltrán leyva was killed during the battle , and six of his gunmen were arrested .
córdova was 30 at the time of his death .
córdova was honored as a mexican hero during his funeral on december 21 , 2009 , in his home state of tabasco .
he received the highest military honors offered by the country , and was ushered to his grave by an honor guard of commandos wearing camouflage fatigues .
his mother , irma córdova palma , was presented a folded flag by secretary of the navy mariano francisco saynez mendoza .
on december 22 , only hours after the funeral , gunmen barged into the home of córdova 's family and fired nearly three dozen bullets .
irma córdova palma was killed , along with córdova 's brother , sister and aunt .
gudiel ivan sanchez was later arrested in chiapas for his alleged role as one of the gunmen in the killings .
the killings were believed to be retaliation for the death of arturo beltrán-leyva , as well as a warning against the military forces involved in president felipe calderón 's war on mexico 's drug cartels .
although reprisals against families are not uncommon during the mexican drug war , the murders of the family members of an already slain soldier are considered a very rare form of intimidation , and seem to violate a basic code of conduct prevalent even among hitmen and traffickers .
the córdova family was not afforded any special protection , and the shootings prompted questions as to whether córdova 's funeral should have been made so public .
experts also questioned whether the retaliation may have been prompted by the decision by authorities to show off pictures of arturo beltrán leyva 's dead body .
