Official: Woman vanished in Mexico ride-sharing app is dead

MEXICO CITY – Mexican officials said Friday that a young woman who was last seen entering a ride-sharing app car has been found dead.

The case has shocked Mexicans who thought the ride-sharing apps were safer than the country*s notoriously dangerous taxis

The prosecutor’s office in the central state of Puebla said in a press conference that the driver for the Spain-based app Cabify would be charged for the killing. He is already under arrest because he initially claimed the woman got out of his car near her home, despite evidence that she didn*t.

Puebla Gov. Tony Gali wrote in his Twitter account that “with deep pain I send my condolences” to the family of the victim, Mara Castilla.

Castilla disappeared a week ago after taking a car operated by a branch of Cabify.

Gali wrote “the presumed culprit has been arrested and will pay for this crime.”

According to evidence cited by the prosecutor’s office, the driver apparently took her to a hotel and killed her there. Her body was found wrapped in a sheet with the hotel*s name on it.

On Thursday, Cabify issued a statement saying it was co-operating with investigators.

On Friday, the company expressed condolences to the victim’s family, and wrote “we demand that the full weight of the law be brought to bear against those responsible.”