French-language blogger killed on Islas Mujeres

Renée Wathelet, a 60-year old Belgian born Canadian, and part-time resident of  Islas Mujeres, was murdered  Thursday.

Wathelet, who had worked as a Montreal financial adviser, was developing a following for her sailing blog, “”Profession: nomade” and her Isla Mujares travel blog, En direct des iles“.  Her last post, for the latter of these two sites, was time-stamped about an hour before she was stabbed during what was either a robbery, or a domestic dispute.

The presumed killer, 24-year-old José Joaquin Palacios Garaza, was apprehended at the scene.  Palacios appears to have a severe mental illness, complicating any simple story line.  Some news items say he is a resident of Monterrey (a very long way from Islas Mujares) while others suggest a sentimental relationship.  The English-language Montreal Gazette writes:

On [En direct des iles] Wathelet speaks of a boatman named Jose, with whom she had enjoyed “walks on the beach and one (or several) cold beers”. The blog item, dated Sept. 7, includes a photo of a young man on the beach, from the back. The blog item does not identify the man’s family name.

Wathelet wrote of “Jose’s” kindness and humour, as he answered her numerous questions about local history, landmarks and politics. She called him a “veritable encyclopedia” and even suggested she would begin a special blog feature where she would share his stories, titled Jose Tells Me.

The National Post, true to form, lists every violent death of a Canadian in Mexico over the last several years, mixing in those killed by falls with gangland rubouts (yup, even Canada has gangsters) with robberies … a disservice to this tragedy.