Meliton Lozoya was the former owner of

Pancho Villa Francisco "Pancho" Villa (,"Villa"
''Collins English Dictionary''. ; ;

hacienda An ''hacienda'' ( or ; or ) is an estate (or ''finca''), similar to a Roman ''latifundium'', in Spain and the former Spanish Empire. With origins in Andalusia, ''haciendas'' were variously plantations (perhaps including animals or orchards), ...

and a co-conspirator in his assassination. Lozoya was accused of embezzling funds from the ranch and allegedly decided to participate in Villa's assassination after Villa demanded to be paid back. Some historians allege Lozoya planned the details of Villa's assassination and found the men who carried it out.McLynn, Frank. ''Villa and Zapata: A History of the Mexican Revolution'', Basic Books, 2000.

Death of Pancho Villa

Jesús Salas Barraza, a state legislator from

Durango Durango (), officially named Estado Libre y Soberano de Durango ( en, Free and Sovereign State of Durango; Tepehuán: ''Korian''; Nahuatl: ''Tepēhuahcān''), is one of the 31 states which make up the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico, situated in ...

, is the other central figure associated with Villa's death. Barraza claimed full responsibility for Villa's death, though the

assassination Assassination is the murder of a prominent or important person, such as a head of state, head of government, politician, world leader, member of a royal family or CEO. The murder of a celebrity, activist, or artist, though they may not have ...

is believed to have occurred as the result of a well-planned conspiracy involving Barraza and Lozoya, but most likely initiated by Plutarco Elías Calles and

Joaquín Amaro Joaquín Amaro Domínguez (August 16, 1889 – March 15, 1952) was a Mexican revolutionary general and military reformer. He served as Secretary of War in the cabinets of Presidents Plutarco Elías Calles, Emilio Portes Gil, and Pascual Ortiz ...

(with at least tacit approval of the then president of Mexico,

Álvaro Obregón Álvaro Obregón Salido (; 17 February 1880 – 17 July 1928) better known as Álvaro Obregón was a Sonoran-born general in the Mexican Revolution. A pragmatic centrist, natural soldier, and able politician, he became the 46th President of Me ...

). After claiming responsibility, Barraza claimed he and the co-conspirators, including Saenz Pardo, Lozoya, and Félix Lara, had watched Villa's daily car drives and paid the vendor at the scene of Villa's assassination to shout "Viva Villa!" once if Villa was sitting in the front of the car, or twice if he was in the back.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lozoya, Melitón People of the Mexican Revolution People from Durango