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Manuel de Dios Unanue was a Cuban-born American journalist, radio host, and editor known for his fearless anti-drug reporting. He served as editor-in-chief of El Diario La Prensa and founded magazines Cambio XXI and Crimen.
On March 11, 1992, he was murdered in a Queens restaurant by Alejandro Wilson Mejia-Velez, a hitman hired by the Cali drug cartel. Mejia-Velez, convicted in 1994, is serving a life sentence without parole.
The case is featured in New York Homicide, a true-crime series exploring New York City’s notable murder cases. It appears in season 3, episode 12, titled Dangerous Work. The episode will be released on April 19, 2025, on Oxygen and will be available for streaming on platforms like Peacock and NBC.
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This case examines the dangers journalists face when exposing criminal networks. It highlights the Cali cartel’s violent reach into the US, the community’s response, and the investigation that brought conspirators to justice, marking a significant moment in New York’s fight against drug-related crime.
March 11, 1992: Murder of Manuel de Dios Unanue in Queens Restaurant
Manuel de Dios Unanue, 49, sat at the bar of Meson Asturias restaurant in Elmhurst, Queens, on March 11, 1992. A hooded gunman, Alejandro Wilson Mejia-Velez, entered, approached Unanue, and shot him twice in the head with a 9mm handgun. Unanue died instantly.
The killer fled, leaving no immediate clues. Police later determined the murder was a targeted hit ordered by the Cali cartel, angered by Unanue’s exposés on their drug operations in Queens.
His relentless reporting in Crimen and Cambio XXI had named cartel leaders, including José Santacruz Londoño. The killing shocked the community, marking the first time a journalist in the US was killed by Colombian drug traffickers.
March 1992: Community response and early investigation
After Unanue’s murder, the Elmhurst community rallied. A candlelight procession converged at a local plaza, later named Manuel de Dios Unanue Triangle. New York Mayor David Dinkins offered a $10,000 reward for information, raised to $70,000 with media contributions.
Police formed a joint task force to investigate, suspecting cartel involvement due to Unanue’s reporting. Initial leads pointed to multiple suspects, as Unanue had many enemies among drug traffickers.
The investigation focused on his recent articles exposing Cali cartel operations, including a lab explosion linked to Santacruz. By late March, authorities identified the murder as a contract killing, with the cartel paying $20,000, though the gunman received only a small portion.
May 1993: Indictments and arrests
On May 5, 1993, federal prosecutors in Brooklyn indicted John Mena, 24, for arranging Unanue’s murder, and Alejandro Wilson Mejia-Velez, 18, as the shooter. Mejia-Velez was arrested in Miami, while Mena was already in custody on drug charges.
Five other conspirators, including Juan Velasco and Elizabeth Castaño, were also charged but pleaded guilty to reduced sentences. The investigation revealed a complex plot: Mena, hired by the cartel, delegated tasks to intermediaries, who recruited Mejia-Velez. Castaño identified Unanue as the gunman.
Prosecutors linked the order to Cali cartel leader José Santacruz Londoño, who targeted Unanue for planning a book exposing the cartel. The indictments underscored the cartel’s attempt to silence critics abroad.
1994-1996: Trials and legacy
In March 1994, Mejia-Velez was convicted of Manuel de Dios Unanue's murder after a two-week trial and sentenced to life without parole. John Mena and four others, including Velasco and Castaño, pleaded guilty, receiving 15-18 years for cooperating. A seventh suspect, Guillermo Gaviria, remained a fugitive until 1999.
The trials confirmed the Cali cartel’s motive: Unanue’s articles on their drug trade, including naming Santacruz, threatened their operations. In 1995, the New York City Council named a street and triangle in Elmhurst after Manuel de Dios Unanue.
In 1998, a journalism school was established in his honor. The case set a precedent, showing cartels could not silence US journalists without consequences, and it strengthened protections for reporters.
Stay tuned for more news and updates, and watch Manuel de Dios Unanue's case in New York Homicide season 3 episode 12.
