American couple killed in Mexico, found shot in pickup truck: officials

Two Americans from California are dead after being found shot in a pickup truck in Mexico, officials said.

Authorities located Gloria Ambriz, 50, and Rafael Cardona, 53, while responding to a report of a shooting in Angamacutiro in the western state of Michoacán on Wednesday night, according to Fox News affiliate, KTTV, citing the state attorney general's office.

The couple, who were on vacation visiting family, was traveling in a black 2016 Ford Platinum pickup truck when gunmen opened fire near an intersection.

Ambriz was pronounced dead on the scene, while Cardona succumbed to his injuries shortly after being transported to a hospital in Puruándiro, officials said.

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The Michoacán State Attorney General's Office has launched an investigation into the murders of California couple Gloria Ambriz, 50, and Rafael Cardona, 53, who were attacked while on vacation. (KVTV)

Investigators have recovered ballistic evidence from the scene, which is being analyzed as part of the ongoing investigation. 

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The attorney general's office has assembled a team of prosecutors, police, and forensic experts to determine the motive and identify those responsible for the killings.

Students and workers of the Faculty of Law of the UNAM wave flags of Mexico in Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico. (Gerardo Vieyra/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

The unexpected deaths of the two Californian visitors add to safety concerns in Mexico. 

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Michoacán is listed as a "do not travel" spot in Mexico, according to the U.S. State Department.

"Violent crime – such as homicide, kidnapping, carjacking, and robbery – is widespread and common in Mexico," the federal agency noted. "The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in many areas of Mexico, as travel by U.S. government employees to certain areas is prohibited or restricted. In many states, local emergency services are limited outside the state capital or major cities."

Fox News Digital has reached out to the U.S. State Department for comment.