Overview
- A 2026 documentary by producer Juan Carlos Uribe presents testimony that identifies Carlos Acevedo, known as “El Pato,” as the man who fired the shots and names Juan José Esparragoza Moreno, “El Azul,” as the alleged orderer.
- The film links the killing to a claimed $4 million money‑laundering debt that Stanley reportedly failed to return to criminal clients, which the producers describe as an "adjuste de cuentas" motive.
- Paco Stanley was killed outside El Charco de las Ranas in Mexico City on June 7, 1999, and colleague Jorge Gil was wounded; early suspects Mario Bezares and Paola Durante were detained after the attack and released in January 2001 for lack of evidence.
- News outlets and public figures have reacted to the documentary and Mario Bezares has urged that the production’s testimony be presented to prosecutors, but no judicial authority has validated the documentary’s claims or filed new charges.
- Prosecutors would need to corroborate the documentary’s witnesses and evidence before reopening or resolving the case, and the death or protected status of some named figures could complicate any legal follow-up.