Priest reported kidnapped found slain in western Mexico

MEXICO CITY – The Archdiocese of Morelia in western Mexico says a priest kidnapped a week ago has been found slain.

The message on the archdiocese's Facebook page Sunday said the Rev. Jose Alfredo Lopez Guillen was killed some days earlier and it called on authorities to solve the crime.

The archdiocese initially reported publicly Thursday that Lopez was taken from his parish residence in the town of Janamuato, Michoacan, last Monday. They pleaded for his safe return. His car was found wrecked Tuesday.

Lopez was kidnapped the same day authorities in Mexico's Gulf coast state of Veracruz found the bodies of two priests who had been abducted from their parish residence. They had been shot.

Lopez's death would bring to at least 31 the number of priests killed in Mexico since 2006.