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The family of a British software engineer shot and killed in Mexico said he was in ‘the wrong place at the wrong time’.
Software engineer Ben Corser, 37, was murdered while picking up shopping in Colima, western Mexico last Tuesday (May 24).
Ben was sitting in a car on Camino Real Boulevard when he and two friends, Claudio and Alfredo, were shot and killed.
Ben Corser, 37 (left and right), was picking up groceries in Colima, western Mexico when he was shot dead alongside two pals sitting in their car. He worked as a software developer in London
Ben was ‘in the wrong place at the wrong time’, his parents wrote in a moving Facebook tribute
The Cornishman had been in Mexico since January as a tourist.
His parents, former headteacher Andrew Corser and Lorraine Downes, and his brother Tom Corser, said he was in ‘the wrong place at the wrong time’.
They said Ben had ‘become part of the community’ in western Mexico.
Ben’s body will be returned to the UK for a funeral in St Just, Cornwall.
The Corser family said: ‘Ben has been in Mexico since January 2022, where he had been having a very happy and sociable time, living in different parts of Mexico, becoming part of the community, and also moving around a bit.
The adventurous Brit had been in Mexico since January but was caught in a fierce crime wave
The Cornishman was living with a Mexican-American family near Colima when he was killed
‘Most recently, Ben was living with a Mexican-American family near Colima city. Two of the young men in the household (Claudio and Alfredo) were skateboarders and Ben joined them skating.
‘On Tuesday evening, May 24 2022, Ben and Claudio come back on the bus from Guadalajara and Alfredo picked them up in the car.
‘They went along the main boulevard in Colima and stopped at a supermarket to get some food for Mamma.
‘While they were in the car, outside the supermarket, all three young men, including Ben sitting in the back seat, were shot dead.
Ben was one of the three men killed in their car on Camino Real Boulevard (pictured) last week
Ben and his pals were murdered outside the Macaza supermarket in Colima, western Mexico
‘We have had no explanation, no reasons given, no suggestion of robbery, kidnapping or anything else.
‘No doubt the police will eventually conclude their investigation and tell us what they think happened – there had been a dramatic upsurge in Colima in the last few weeks, although this was not directed at all at tourists.
‘It it most likely that this was a question of Ben (and Claudio and Alfredo) being tragically in the wrong place at the wrong time.
‘Thank you for all your lovely expressions of regret and support, and all of the offers of help – St Just, Ben’s large network of friends, have given the family vital comfort in this appalling time of grief. Thank you.’
Father Andrew posted this moving tribute and thanked well-wishers for their ‘lovely’ messages
People took to social media to pay tribute.
One user wrote: ‘Sincere condolences to you all. I haven’t seen Ben since school, but it goes without saying that he was bursting with charisma.
‘What an absolute tragedy. Love and strength to you all x.’
Another added: ‘I would say to his parents, your son was not in the wrong place at the wrong time. He had every right to be where he was.
‘It was the perpetrators who were in the wrong place at the wrong time. My condolences to you and all family and friends for your loss.’
A Facebook commenter wrote: ‘I’m so sorry Tom, sending much love to you and your mum and dad.
‘I have fond memories of Ben, he was so much fun and just a really nice lad.’
Cornish businessman Chris Cleave, 54, was shot and killed in Cancun in March
And another added: ‘So sorry to hear this Tom..thoughts with you and the family pal.’
Officials said they have been in touch with the UK government to organise the repatriation of Ben’s body.
State Prosecutor’s Office spokesperson Gustavo Adrián Joya Cervera said: ‘We are in contact with several instances of the government at the federal level for the purpose of clarifying this issue.’
There has been a spate of violence in Colima, the capital city of the Mexican state of the same name.
Local reporter Bertha Reynoso tweeted: ‘Engineer Ben Marshall Corser is the first foreigner victim of this wave of violence that has been experienced in Colima since January 25.’
Nearly 400 people have reportedly been killed in the crime wave.
Ben is also the second person from Cornwall to be shot and killed in Mexico this year.
Chris Cleave, 54, was driving through Playa del Carmen in Cancun, on the opposite side of the country, when he was killed in March.
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