9 9 2 ▁and ▁was ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Gru po ▁Aer om ó vil ▁de ▁F uer zas ▁Es pe cial es ▁( G AF E ), ▁an ▁el ite ▁special ▁forces ▁unit ▁of ▁the ▁Army . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁he ▁with d rew ▁from ▁the ▁military ▁and ▁was ▁rec ru ited ▁by ▁the ▁G ulf ▁Cart el , ▁a ▁drug ▁tra ff ick ing ▁organization , ▁shortly ▁there after . ▁ ▁With ▁other ▁ex - command os , ▁he ▁formed ▁Los ▁Z et as , ▁a ▁group ▁that ▁worked ▁as ▁the ▁G ulf ▁Cart el ' s ▁military ▁wing . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁the ▁G ulf ▁Cart el ▁and ▁Los ▁Z et as ▁broke ▁relations ▁and ▁M ell ado ▁Cruz ▁s ided ▁with ▁the ▁former ▁to ▁maintain ▁a ▁low ▁profile ▁status . ▁He ▁was ▁killed ▁in ▁a ▁gun f ight ▁against ▁Mexican ▁security ▁forces ▁in ▁Reyn osa , ▁T ama ul ip as , ▁on ▁ 9 ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 4 . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁career ▁Gal indo ▁M ell ado ▁Cruz ▁( also ▁G ald ino ) ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁T amp ico ▁Al to , ▁Ver ac ru z , ▁Mexico ▁on ▁ 1 8 ▁April ▁ 1 9 7 3 . ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁Secret ariat ▁of ▁National ▁Def ense ▁( SE D EN A ), ▁M ell ado ▁Cruz ▁joined ▁the ▁Mexican ▁Ar med ▁Forces ▁as ▁a ▁soldier ▁in ▁the ▁Mexican ▁Army ▁on ▁ 1 ▁September ▁