Forensic lab IDs second missing Mexican student, adding new twist to case of the 43

Third-party forensic tests in Austria have confirmed the identity of a second missing Ayotzinapa student among the charred remains discovered in a garbage dump in Mexico last year.

The finding, which seems to support the government’s theory of how the students were killed and disposed of, comes only days after an independent report questioned the official investigation, adding a new wrinkle to the mystery.

On Wednesday night, the Mexican Attorney General’s Office revealed that student no. 2, Jhosivani Guerrero de la Cruz, was identified by a bone fragment found at a dump site in the municipality of Cocula, where the government said all student bodies were burned by a criminal gang. The DNA and molecular testing was conducted by the Innsbruck University lab in Austria.

The Austrian forensic lab had previously confirmed the identity of student Alexander Mora Venancio. The remaining students have yet to be identified or their remains found.

On the night of Sept. 26 of last year, the government claims the 43 students were kidnapped by local police in the city of Iguala after attempting to protest an event organized by the mayor’s wife. Under the mayor’s orders, the cops allegedly handed the students to a criminal gang known as Guerreros Unidos, who killed and burned the bodies at a garbage dump in the nearby municipality of Cocula.

The murder sparked massive protests throughout Mexico. And almost a year later since the students disappeared, Mexicans still have more questions than answers.