Country music artist Kevin Amalio Hernandez, 34, his wife Marisela Sandoval, 34, and his two step-children became victims of a fatal ambush on a Chihuahua highway in Mexico. Their vehicles were hit by a storm of bullets in a violent attack that occurred on Sunday, May 5, 2024.

Investigative reports reveal that both Hernandez and Sandoval were found dead after the ambush. Over 150 bullets had penetrated their pickup truck. Hernandez’s lifeless body was discovered in a Chevrolet Malibu truck, severely damaged from the gunfire. Sandoval was discovered near the passenger door of a 1979 Ford truck.

Sandoval’s 17-year-old son and 14-year-old daughter from a previous relationship, succumbed to their injuries in the hospital a day after the attack. The couple’s four-year-old child and the children’s maternal grandmother were also hospitalized due to injuries sustained from the attack but survived.

The family was traveling in a convoy of pickup trucks when they became the sudden target of the ambush.

This brutal incident occurred against a backdrop of similar violent incidents, including a shooting at Sandoval’s parents’ residence and a thwarted attempt to infiltrate the hospital where the injured family members were being treated. Authorities are exploring potential connections to organized crime, with suspected involvement of the Sinaloa Cartel.

In a poignant twist, Hernandez’s latest song, “If God Takes Me with Him,” was released posthumously. The song’s lyrics eerily echo the incident: “If God takes me with him you should not feel afraid, I will be protecting you, I will follow your steps because this love is eternal.”

Originally from El Paso, Texas, Hernandez was renowned for his contributions to the Tejano (Tex-Mex style) country band H Nortena. He had been touring Chihuahua, performing live concerts that endeared him to audiences statewide.

The Mexican music community reacted with grief and tributes to Hernandez’s tragic death. Band member Luis Fernando Peinado noted the fragility of life and the significance of Hernandez’s final recording. In a statement he said: “Tomorrow this song will sound loud to the sky, the latest recording comes out tomorrow, life is fragile.”

Authorities continue to investigate the brutal attack, which has been attributed to the Sinaloa Cartel. The two younger children who were critically injured are reportedly recovering.

The investigation has identified at least two suspects involved in the attack, and the authorities believe the motive may be linked to Marisela Sandoval’s family business, the Maturana Equestrian Center, which has had previous run-ins with cartel activity​.

Chihuahua Southern District State Attorney General Juan Portillo spoke to the media after the slayings, with an update on potential suspects. “We have more or less identified what the people (who murdered the singer and his family) do and the cartel they could belong to,” Portillo said. “As a result of the investigations, we can assure that at least two people were involved in these events.”