Claudia Ochoa Felix, an Instagram star known as the “Anthrax Empress,” was found dead in the Mexican city of Culiacan, according to multiple local outlets.
Local reports have offered conflicting accounts of Felix’s death, with some citing a drug overdose and others siting signs of asphyxiation on the influencer, whose looks were often compared to that of Kim Kardashian.
Per Vanity Fair, Felix was the mother of three children. She was the wife of José Rodrigo Arechiga, according to RollingStone Italy.
Here’s what you need to know:
Felix Was 34 Years Old at the Time of Her Death; Photos of Her Body Have Allegedly Circulated Online
Felix, whose death appears to have first been reported on Sept. 14, was 34 years old at the time of her death. She was the mother of three young children.
According to a local news outlet, Felix had been at a nightclub earlier that evening, and returned to her home with a man. That man was the one who called the paramedics the next day, per the site.
There are also reportedly photos circulating of Felix’s dead body on the internet. Those not wishing to find them should be wary of searching Felix’s name on Twitter. “I feel so bad Claudia Ochoa Felix’s kids especially with that picture of her deceased going around,” one person tweeted.
Given Felix’s Rumored Affiliation With the Sinaloa Cartel, Questions of Assassination Have Emerged Following Her Death
Felix was rumored to be affiliated with the famous Sinaloa Cartel, and to be the “top assassin” for Joaquin ‘El Chapo’ Guzman prior to his extradition to the United States. Other publications reported that she was the head of Los Antrax, an enforcement wing of the Sinaloa Cartel.
Per The Telegraph, Felix frequently denied any criminal involvement or associations, writing on Twitter at one point that these accusations were nothing more than “cowardly lies and slander.” Her Twitter account and Instagram accounts have since been switched to private or otherwise been deactivated.
Felix certainly bolstered speculation around her reputation on social media, posting a picture of a pink AK-47 among other photos, and often posting photographs of her luxurious lifestyle.
Felix Was Called the ‘Anthrax Empress’ Because of Her Alleged Associations With Los Antrax
Felix’s nickname, “The Anthrax Empress,” was coined due to her alleged connections to Los Antrax (again: she denied these connections when she was alive). Adding to the mystique was her Instagram and Twitter persona, in which she posted photos that showed men in masks, many assault weapons, and more.
Felix was also called “the Kim Kardashian of organized crime,” among other nicknames.
As for her husband, José Rodrigo Arechiga is currently imprisoned. The man known as “El Chino Antrax” was arrested in 2013 at Amsterdam Airport at the request of the United States, for charges related to drug trafficking. Publications are conflicted over whether Arechiga and Felix were married or just romantically involved; RollingStone Italy cites them as husband and wife.
At the time of his trial, Arechiga pled guilty to the following charges, per a press release by the Justice Department: Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine, Heroin and Cocaine Intended for Importation and Conspiracy to Import Methamphetamine, Heroin and Cocaine.
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