A Chicago couple who went missing in Mexico were among several bodies discovered last week on the outskirts of Mexico City, their family confirmed Wednesday.

U.S. citizen Zafar Padamsee Mawani and his partner, Guillermo Jafett Hidalgo Ortiz, disappeared in May south of the Mexican capital. The couple had moved from Chicago to Mexico City together. Authorities launched a search and made several arrests in connection with the case.

Investigators later uncovered four unidentified bodies in a mountainous area after detainees allegedly directed them to the site.

On Wednesday, Mawani’s family said Mexican authorities had confirmed the deaths of the couple and paid tribute to them in a statement.

“We are grateful beyond words to everyone who tried to help bring Zafar home to us – investigators on the ground, our core strategy and support team, authorities in both countries, generous volunteer organizations, as well as friends and loved ones who stepped forward to help without being asked,” the family wrote in a statement.

Mawani and Hidalgo Ortiz lived in Chicago and Mexico City, according to Cate Taylor, a spokesperson for Mawani’s family. NBC News Chicago reported in late May that the men were spending time in Mexico to care for Mawani’s mother. The outlet also reported unusual withdrawals from the couple’s bank accounts.

According to the federal government’s official missing-person bulletin, Mawani was 56 and a U.S. citizen. The bulletin for Hidalgo Ortiz, issued by Mexico City authorities, states that he was also 56. It does not specify his nationality, but notes that he was with Mawani when they disappeared south of Mexico City, about 50 kilometers (31 miles) east of the mountains of La Marquesa National Park.

More than 135,000 people are missing in Mexico as a product of criminal violence, according to the most recent federal data. The number missing continues to climb even as homicide figures have sharply dropped since President Claudia Sheinbaum took office in 2024.

A total of 977 people were reported missing in Mexico during the month of May, according to the country’s official missing persons registry.

In recent days, relatives’ groups have staged protests while Mexico serves as a co-host of the FIFA World Cup. They are demanding greater attention to the issue and more resources for searches, which are generally led by family members themselves. One of their recurring complaints is that authorities act more quickly when the missing people are foreigners.