American Woman Brutally Killed in Mexico, Found With 40 Stab Wounds

JUAREZ, MEXICO - MARCH 26: Residents look out at a crime scene involving the killing of a 13 year old boy in a car, one of numerous murders over a 24 hour period, March 26, 2010 in Juarez, Mexico. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano all visited Mexico on March 23 for discussions centered on Mexico's endemic drug-related violence. The border city of Juarez, Mexico has been racked by violent drug related crime recently and has quickly become one of the most dangerous cities in the world to live. As drug cartels have been fighting over ever lucrative drug corridors along the United States border, the murder rate in Juarez has risen to 173 slayings for every 100,000 residents. President Felipe Calderon's strategy of sending 7000 troops to Juarez has not mitigated the situation. With a population of 1.3 million, 2,600 people died in drug-related violence last year and 500 so far this year, including two Americans recently who worked for the U.S. Consulate and were killed as they returned from a children's party. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) (2010 Getty Images)

An American woman living in Mexico was murdered and her adopted daughter, now missing, may be implicated in her death. The woman's body was found at her home in the central Mexico city of San Miguel de Allende.

The U.S. Embassy in Mexico lists the woman as Joyous Heart, but gives no information on her hometown.

Asked about the case, the prosecutors' office in northern Guanajuato said Thursday that the woman was found stabbed to death in her home on Feb. 1. Her throat was slashed.

The prosecutors' statement did not name the victim, but gave a case file number that matched descriptions in local press reports of Heart's killing.

San Miguel de Allende is a colonial city located in Guanajuato state and is popular with American tourists and expats.

According to the newspaper Correo’s website, the woman, whose body was found last Friday night, had 40 stab wounds. They added that the adopted daughter of the woman is missing.

Neighbors said the two fought often.

The woman was the owner of the house and rented spaces to two other people.

The renters said there had been an altercation between Heart and her daughter. The daughter had not been seen since she left the property, which the renters said was odd.

The paper also says the daughter was not at the site and was adopted four years ago, when she was 14, and is diagnosed with severe schizophrenia.

Based on reporting by The Associated Press and EFE.

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