A man allegedly tied to the 1994 murder of Colombian footballer Andrés Escobar has been killed in Mexico. Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced Friday that Santiago Gallón, an alleged drug trafficker, was shot dead in Mexico.

Gallón had been under investigation in the death of Escobar, who was gunned down in Medellín, Colombia, days after scoring an own goal in a match against the United States during the 1994 World Cup. The own goal contributed to Colombia's elimination from the tournament. The 27-year-old's murder shocked the world and Colombia, which was plagued by violence at the time. In 1994, Medellín was controlled by drug traffickers and had a murder rate of 380 per 100,000 inhabitants.

The state prosecutor's office from the State of Mexico confirmed that a body believed to be Gallón was found Wednesday in Huixquilucan, outside Mexico City. The body is undergoing forensic examination to confirm its identity.

Escobar was shot several times outside a disco in Medellín on July 2, 1994. Humberto Muñoz Castro, Gallón's driver, confessed to the killing. Muñoz Castro, who had connections to a powerful Colombian cartel, was arrested. He refused to implicate his bosses. Munoz was initially sentenced to 43 years in jail but served only 11.

Gallón and his brother allegedly confronted Escobar at a nightclub on July 2, 1994, just 10 days after the own goal. According to eyewitnesses, Muñoz shouted "goal!" each time he fired. It was believed that the men had lost heavily after betting on Colombia's performance at the World Cup.

President Petro stated on X that Gallón was killed Thursday in Mexico and was responsible for Escobar's killing. He added that the footballer's murder "destroyed the country's international image". A source from the Toluca prosecutor's office told AFP that Gallón was shot dead in a restaurant in Huixquilucan.

In 2010, Gallón was sentenced to prison for financing paramilitary groups. The Gallon brothers walked free after a couple of months, having been sentenced to 15 months each for trying to cover up the crime. Muñoz testified that they had ordered him to shoot Escobar.