Elderly Inland Empire Man Beaten To Death In Tijuana: Report

SAN BERNARDINO, CA — An elderly San Bernardino man was killed Friday in Tijuana during a trip to deliver donations to people in need, according to his family.

As NBC Los Angeles reports, Rudy Lazo, 79, was beaten to death during an apparent robbery on April 19. His belongings have not been found, and Mexican investigators have not made an arrest.

According to NBC, Lazo immigrated to the United States from El Salvador in the 1980s, working as a truck driver, and developed a passion for helping out around Tijuana.

His killing comes the same year the U.S. Department of State issued broad warnings for travelers to avoid Mexico, including Baja California, citing elevated risks of kidnapping and homicides.

"Violent crime – such as homicide, kidnapping, carjacking, and robbery – is widespread and common in Mexico,” The State Department warned in February. "The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in many areas of Mexico, as travel by U.S. government employees to certain areas is prohibited or restricted. In many states, local emergency services are limited outside the state capital or major cities."

That warning followed the suspicious death of Elliot Blair, 33, an Orange County public defender who died under suspicious circumstances in February. A lawyer for the family said Blair suffered dozens of fractures to his skull and had signs of road rash. They claim he was extorted by a police officer during a traffic stop just 90 minutes before he fell to his death from a hotel balcony.

Here are the specific warnings for travel to Mexico from the U.S. Department of State:

Do Not Travel To:

• Colima state due to crime and kidnapping.
• Guerrero state due to crime.
• Michoacan state due to crime and kidnapping.
• Sinaloa state due to crime and kidnapping
• Tamaulipas state due to crime and kidnapping.
• Zacatecas state due to crime and kidnapping.

Reconsider Travel To:

• Baja California state due to crime and kidnapping.
• Chihuahua state due to crime and kidnapping.
• Durango state due to crime.
• Guanajuato state due to crime and kidnapping.
• Jalisco state due to crime and kidnapping.
• Morelos state due to crime.
• Sonora state due to crime and kidnapping.

Exercise Increased Caution When Traveling To:

• Aguascalientes state due to crime.
• Baja California Sur state due to crime.
• Chiapas state due to crime.
• Coahuila state due to crime.
• Hidalgo state due to crime.
• Mexico City due to crime.
• Mexico State due to crime.
• Nayarit state due to crime.
• Nuevo Leon state due to crime and kidnapping.
• Oaxaca state due to crime.
• Puebla state due to crime and kidnapping.
• Queretaro state due to crime.
• Quintana Roo state due to crime and kidnapping.
• San Luis Potosi state due to crime and kidnapping.
• Tabasco state due to crime.
• Tlaxcala state due to crime.
• Veracruz state due to crime.

Exercise Normal Precautions When Traveling To:

• Campeche state
• Yucatan state