Santiago Meza Lopez

- Full Name: Santiago Meza Lopez
- Nicknames: The Stewmaker, El Pozolerowashingtonpost.com: 'Stewmaker' Stirs Horror in Mexico (January 27, 2009)
- Calls himself Teo's stewmakerCNN.com: Cartel 'Stewmaker' Says He Dissolved 300 Bodies (January 24, 2009)
- Native of Guamuchil, SinaloaCNN.com: Cartel 'Stewmaker' Says He Dissolved 300 Bodies (January 24, 2009)
- Former truck driverwashingtonpost.com: 'Stewmaker' Stirs Horror in Mexico (January 27, 2009)
- Age 45washingtonpost.com: 'Stewmaker' Stirs Horror in Mexico (January 27, 2009)
- Took 24 hours to identify LopezCNN.com: Cartel 'Stewmaker' Says He Dissolved 300 Bodies (January 24, 2009)
- Worked for Teodoro "El Teo" García Simental, the man trying to seize control of the Tijuana drug cartel from Fernando Sánchez Arellanowashingtonpost.com: 'Stewmaker' Stirs Horror in Mexico (January 27, 2009)
- Disposed of over 300 bodies killed by Garcia Simental's hit menwashingtonpost.com: 'Stewmaker' Stirs Horror in Mexico (January 27, 2009)
- Says victims either betrayed Garcia or owed him somethingCNN.com: Cartel 'Stewmaker' Says He Dissolved 300 Bodies (January 24, 2009)
- Got rid of the bodies by dissolving them in tubs of acidwashingtonpost.com: 'Stewmaker' Stirs Horror in Mexico (January 27, 2009)
- Received the bodies after they were already deadwashingtonpost.com: 'Stewmaker' Stirs Horror in Mexico (January 27, 2009)
- Paid $ 600 a week for disposal of corpseswashingtonpost.com: 'Stewmaker' Stirs Horror in Mexico (January 27, 2009)
- Has been disposing of bodies for 9 yearswashingtonpost.com: 'Stewmaker' Stirs Horror in Mexico (January 27, 2009)
- Says he only disposed of men; never womenTimes Online: Mexican ‘Stew Maker’ Dissolved 300 Drug War Victims in Acid (January 26, 2009)
- At the time of his arrest he was carrying three rifles, two grenades, a machine gun and body armourTimes Online: Mexican ‘Stew Maker’ Dissolved 300 Drug War Victims in Acid (January 26, 2009)

Santiago Mez Lopez is a "disposal expert" working for a Tijuana drug cartel that got rid of over 300 bodies by dissolving the corpses in vats of acid. He was arrested on Thursday, January 24 2009, in Ensenada, Baja California.CNN.com: Cartel 'Stewmaker' Says He Dissolved 300 Bodies (January 24, 2009) He was on his way to a party in Tijuana, Mexico along with two other men that were also arrested and a woman who claimed to have been hired for a social event.washingtonpost.com: 'Stewmaker' Stirs Horror in Mexico (January 27, 2009) Lopez's is known as El Pozolero or The Stewmaker, a reference to the traditional Mexican stew called pozole, and an apt nickname in regards to his method of disposing of human remains.Times Online: Mexican ‘Stew Maker’ Dissolved 300 Drug War Victims in Acid (January 26, 2009)
Body Disposal Method

In order to dispose of the bodies Lopez would boil 200 liters of water and two sacks of caustic soda over a fire. According to federal agents he would then drop the bodies in, letting them 'cook' for 8 hours. The only thing remaining were teeth and nails. When the liquid cooled he allegedly put the remains in plastic tubs that he burned with gasoline in an empty lot.washingtonpost.com: 'Stewmaker' Stirs Horror in Mexico (January 27, 2009)
Victim's Families

100 relatives off missing people came forward after Lopez's arrest in hopes they could show him pictures of their loved ones to see if he recognized any as his victims. State's Attorney-General Rommel Moreno reassured the people; told them he would get the photos to Lopez to see if he could make any IDs. Meanwhile, police will ask authorities in California and New Mexico for DNA testing equipment to be used on the human remains already unearthed. Although arrested, Lopez will not be charged until a positive ID can be made on the recovered remains.Times Online: Mexican ‘Stew Maker’ Dissolved 300 Drug War Victims in Acid (January 26, 2009)
Reprisals

Baja, California officials suspect an attack made on a local police station on Monday, January 26, 2009 was in retaliation to the arrest of Lopez and his two companions. Though nobody was hurt, 200 rounds were fired upon the police station where Lopez had been arrested, and several stolen California trucks were abandoned nearby. One of Lopez's companions also turned out to be the personal chef of cartel boss Garcia.washingtonpost.com: 'Stewmaker' Stirs Horror in Mexico (January 27, 2009)