Background
After learning of his death, '' The Washington Post'' tweeted that the US Embassy in Mexico was investigating his death. The ''Post'' later retracted the tweet after that assertion appeared incorrect. His family with the help of the AP sought more details. The Ministry of Public Security (Mexico City) led an investigation into Montaño's death. One year after his death, the case was still open. Montaño died on the day before thePersonal
Armando Montaño grew up Colorado Springs, Colorado and was an aspiring journalist throughout college. He was a graduate of Grinnell College, where he majored in Spanish with a concentration in Latin American studies. He was a member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and the National Association of Gay and Lesbian Journalists. A friend of Montaño's told ''Metro Weekly'' that Montaño appreciated the perspective and insights gained from identifying as "half-white, half-Mexican, and openly gay." Born in Massachusetts, he moved to Colorado with his parents, Mario Montaño and Diane Alters, but he also lived inCareer
While attending the Palmer High School in Colorado Springs, Armando Montaño wrote for the school newspaper and interviewed actress Daryl Hannah and director John Sayles for an interview about their Colorado-based movie "Silver City". In 2007, Montaño was chosen as a guest columnist for the "Colorado Voices" in the ''Denver Post''. He also completed four internships before his death, which allowed him to write political and investigative stories. The newspapers he held the internships with were '' The New York Times'', '' Chronicle of Higher Education'', ''Death
Armando Montaño died in Mexico City, Mexico on 30 June 2012. He was pronounced dead after being found in an elevator shaft in an apartment building near his home in the Condesa neighborhood. The cause of death was suffocation. Montaño's wallet was gone, but his flip phone was still on his person when he was found. During Montaño's time in Mexico City, he was interning for the Associated Press. While Montaño was in Mexico, it was considered one of the more dangerous countries for journalists. Although Montaño was not on an assignment at the time of his death, the authorities opened an investigation into the incident. The initial investigation of the situation led to an announcement by the Attorney General of Mexico in July that Montaño's clothing had been caught in the elevator machinery which led to the accident and it was unrelated to his reporting, but his family said that was not correct. The investigation in Mexico City was ongoing as of late 2012, and remains unsolved as of 2017.Reactions
Armando Montaño's memorial service at Grinnell College was attended by students, professors, and other faculty members. Montaño became close with professors while at Grinnell College who noted the positive direction of his career at the time of his death. Eliza Willis, professor of Latin American politics, said, “He was very intense about his career plans and his desire to become a journalist." Sarah Purcell, an associate professor of history and director of the Rosenfield Public Affairs Program, said, "He was a remarkable person. My first impression of him was to be incredibly impressed with his enthusiasm and intelligence." She also mentioned his progress: "I’ve seen a lot of reports calling him an aspiring journalist. I think he already was a journalist. He was doing incredible reporting from Mexico. I think it's really a loss for the future of journalism." Montaño worked for the Associated Press at the time of his death, and Kathleen Carroll, AP executive editor, said, "The loss of Armando is a terrible shock to the AP staff members who were fortunate enough to call him a colleague". And Barb Ellis, ''Denver Post'' spokeswoman, said, "His editors here were certain he would go far in the field he loved. Journalism has lost a rising star."In popular culture
Armando Montaño appeared as a model for '' Metro Weekly's'' "Coverboy" series in its 11 August 2011 issue under the name "Mando" when he was 21 years old. In the interview, he revealed that Helen Thomas was an influence in journalism. At the time he was entering his senior year at Grinnell College and studying Spanish and Latin American studies and looking forward to a career in journalism and politics. He posed for medium close-up photographs for the issue. A peer who attended a scholarship program with Montaño said he was excited to be selected for the series.Awards
In 2015, his parents established an endowment to fund and encourage young writers at Grinnell College. Shortly after his death, several scholarships and funds were created in memory of Armando Montaño. The annual Armando Montaño Scholarships will be awarded by the New York Times Student Journalism Institute to help deserving students, and the Mando Montaño's Scarlet & Black Fund was established help Grinnell College improve its student newspaper. While a student, Freedom Forum for Diversity named him a 2011 Chips Quinn Scholar for which he attended training, the National Press Club awarded him its 2008 Ellen Masin Persina Scholarship, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists named him a 2008 Newhouse Scholar.Published works of journalism
References
External links
* ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uxf88mPYHHE&feature=endscreen Kevin Torres reports from K*USA-TV, 9NEWS, Denver, CO