Armed men killed a Honduran mayor standing for reelection in the violence-wracked Central American nation, although the murder was not believed to be politically motivated, police said Thursday.

Francisco Martinez, mayor of the northwestern municipality of San Isidro, was taken by gunmen from a motel in the city of Siguatepeque on Wednesday night and shot outside, a police statement said, adding that Martinez was “allegedly drinking alcohol” when he was abducted.

His bullet-ridden body was found near a soccer field, according to the police.

The murder did not appear to be related to Martinez’s political activities, it said, adding that evidence suggested the motive was likely “personal revenge.”

Personnel from the Centre for Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences carry the coffin with the remains of Francisco Martinez, mayor of the San Isidro municipality, in Tegucigalpa on July 10, 2025. ORLANDO SIERRA/AFP via Getty Images

The 45-year-old mayor was seeking reelection for the right-wing opposition National Party in November 30 presidential, legislative and local elections.

Martinez was arrested in 2015 for allegedly trying to kill a daughter’s boyfriend with a machete, police said.

Local media reported that he was acquitted in 2016.

Sources close to the investigation said that Martínez frequented several motels in the area and, at the time of the crime, was under surveillance because of his background, police said in their statement. Police said they seized a cell phone from a woman who often joined Martinez at these motels.

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Honduras is one of the most violent countries in Latin America, mainly due to drug trafficking and gang activity.

In May, a U.S. Army soldier was found dead on a riverbank several miles from an airbase in Honduras.

A Honduran mayor was abducted and killed under unclear circumstances, marking the latest in a string of political violence cases in the Central American country, according to local officials.

Francisco Martínez Domínguez, the 49-year-old mayor of San Isidro in western Honduras, was found dead late Wednesday near a soccer field in the town of Siguatepeque. According to police, he had been forcibly taken hours earlier by armed men who stormed into a motel room where he was staying with a woman.

General Miguel Martínez Madrid, a spokesperson for Honduras’ Security Secretariat, said the attackers dragged the mayor out of the room unclothed and later shot him nearby. Authorities said multiple mobile devices were recovered at the scene, and the woman who was with him is being held for questioning.

Martínez, who was seeking re-election under the opposition National Party, had previously been involved in legal controversies.

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In 2015, Martínez was accused of involvement in the death of an 18-year-old who was reportedly dating his daughter. He was acquitted the following year, though the court imposed a restraining order barring him from contact with the victim’s family. He was also detained in 2018 for public misconduct, according to police records.

A cousin of the mayor, who spoke to Honduran media on condition of anonymity, said the family was unaware of any threats against him. “We don’t understand what happened or why he was killed,” she said.

Authorities said the motive remains under investigation, though personal revenge is among the possibilities being explored due to his past legal history.

Honduras has long struggled with high levels of violence and impunity, often ranking among the most dangerous countries in Latin America. Public officials are frequent targets, particularly in rural areas where organized crime and political rivalries converge.