The body of Humberto Adame Castillo, cattle rancher and brother of former Morelos governor Marco Adame Castillo, was discovered in a hidden grave on Thursday.

Adame was kidnapped on May 8, after which the kidnappers demanded a ransom of 1 million pesos (US $52,200) from the victim’s family.

The state’s attorney general said today the family had negotiated and in the end paid a ransom of 63,000 pesos (US $3,300). But it was evident that the victim was killed immediately after the ransom was paid.

Police have since arrested three suspects who confessed to killing their victim and dumping his body in a hidden grave. After a search by land and air, authorities found Humberto’s body near a highway in the town of Alpuyeca in the municipality of Xochitepec, Morelos.

State authorities revealed that Humberto had been blindfolded and his hands bound during his captivity. Six cellphones were also discovered at the grave site.

Ex-governor Adame expressed his grief on Twitter, demanding earthly justice and divine forgiveness.

“My brother was a great guy — a little grumpy, but a wonderful person. He loved nature, the countryside, rural development and his profession.”

Several key political figures, including ex-president Felipe Calderón, current Morelos Governor Cuauhtémoc Blanco and Senator Lucy Meza expressed their condolences to Humberto’s family and demanded justice for his murder.

Morelos has been the scene of several acts of violence in recent weeks, including one incident in Cuernavaca in which an armed individual fired into a crowd of protesting street vendors killing two, and another in which suspects on a motorcycle shot and killed two gas station workers in the state capital.

Source: Milenio (sp), Infobae (sp)