Ricardo Cruz Pineda and Frank Jule Sandoval Facing 1st Degree Murder Charges in Death of Canadian Bouabal Bounthavorn Ingo in Mexico

According to Mexican police, two men have been arrested in the murder of Canadian tourist Bouabal Bounthavorn Ingo in a Cabo San Lucas hotel. Ricardo Cruz Pineda, 35, from Acapulco, Mexico and Frank Jule Sandoval, 48, of Los Angeles, CA were arrested and are currently in custody facing first degree murder charge in connection with the death of Bouabal Bounthavorn. The murder appears to be the result of a botched robbery. 29 year old Bouabal Bounthavorn Ingo, a Laos-born Canadian, was gunned down while staying at Hotel Riu Santa Fe.

Baja California Sur state police Commander Jesus Alberto said the two suspects had prior criminal records and were “occasional” friends of another U.S. resident, Michael Thompson, 32, who was staying next door to Bounthavorn. Thompson, from Chicago, was recently charged with making false statements to authorities.

Alberto said police believe the alleged assailants entered Bounthavorn’s room after knocking on an adjoining door and claiming to be from the hotel. They used a 9-mm handgun in the attack. He said the two men had been allegedly scouting Bounthavorn because he appeared to have a lot of money. Alberto said they were allegedly looking for money for drugs.

Previously, Mexican authorities have arrested a U.S. man for allegedly lying about the killing of a Canadian tourist at this popular beach resort

El Sudcaliforniano says that authorities believe a U.S. man currently in custody was sharing a room with the alleged killer in the same hotel where the murder took place.

Bouabal Bounthavorn Ingo, thought to be from the Vancouver area, was killed this past May when a gunman burst into his hotel room and opened fire, killing him and wounding his girlfriend, Masha Heikali, in the foot. (Vancouver Sun)

UPDATE I: Mexican police question dead man’s B.C. girlfriend, Masha Heikali