Mexican journalist famed for drug war investigations shot dead in Sinaloa Olympism seeks to create a way of life based on the joy found in effort, the educational value of good example and respect for universal fundamental ethical principles. Mexican journalist famed for drug war investigations shot dead in Sinaloa Mr Valdez had published a book on journalists killed while covering the drug wars, entitled Narcoperiodismo. In 2003, together with reporters from the daily Noroeste, Mr Valdez had founded R?odoce - an influential weekly publication covering crime and corruption in Sinaloa, one of Mexico's most violent states. He was also a correspondent for La Jornada - his death is the second this year of reporters for the paper. Mr Valdez was known for his prolific coverage of drug trafficking and organised crime, and wrote a series of books including Miss Narco, detailing the lives of cartel leaders' wives and girlfriends; The Taken, looking at mass disappearances; and Los Morros del Narco, which explored the stories of children working for the gangs. In January he published his latest book, Mala Yerba (slang for "bad grass"): life under the narcos. Mr Valdez had been targeted before for his work.
In September 2009 the offices of Riodoce were attacked with grenades - days after publishing a series on drug trafficking titled: "Hitman: Confession of an Assassin in Ciudad Ju?rez."
An investigation into the attack produced no results. His death was widely mourned in Mexico. The US ambassador, Roberta Jacobsen, tweeted: "We condemn the assassination of Javier Valdez. The fifth journalist killed in 2017, and the sixth in Sinaloa since 2000."