Mexican rapper 'QBA' in custody; he admits to dissolving three students' bodies in acid

A Mexican rapper who sings about drugs, weapons, and violence has admitted to dissolving three missing film students' bodies in acid, Mexican authorities confirmed.

Officials have detained Christian Omar Palma Gutierrez, known as "QBA," and one other suspect in connection with the deaths of Salomon Aceves Gastelum, 25, Daniel Diaz, 20, and Marco Avalos, 20, Agence France Presse reported.

What's the story?

The YouTube star admitted to prosecutors that he disposed of the students' bodies after they were kidnapped, tortured and murdered by a group of men disguised as police in western Jalisco last month.

"He has participated in three other previous murders," chief investigator Lizette Torres told the AFP.

Gutierrez told authorities that he was recruited three months ago to work for the powerful Mexican drug cartel, known as Jalisco New Generation, that was formed in 2010. He was paid 3,000 pesos (about $159) a week.

Investigators believe the students were mistakenly taken by the cartel as members of a rival gang, BBC News reported.

How did authorities connect QBA to the murders?

Gutierrez's YouTube channel has nearly 125,000 subscribers and millions of page views. He also has two Facebook accounts with 140,000 followers combined.

His music videos helped investigators in the murder case, according to Torres.

Some of the rapper's professionally shot videos show Gutierrez and his friends parading in luxury cars and motorcycles.

Others show images of young gang members in poor neighborhoods brandishing weapons and taking drugs.

What else?

The rapper, along with the other suspect, will be charged with aggravated kidnapping.

Five other suspects are still at large.

In 2017, Mexico had 25,000 murders. It was the highest number reported in modern history with nearly three-fourths of those related to organized crime, BBC reported.