Otilia Martínez Cruz was an environmental defender from the Sierra Tarahumara, Chihuahua, Mexico where she worked to defend her ancestral territory against the threats from illegal logging and mining. She was a family member of Julian Carrillo, indigenous community leader and environmental defender killed in October 2018. On 3rd May she was killed along with her 20 year old son, Gregorio Chaparro Cruz. International human rights organisations such as Amnesty International and Peace Brigades International have expressed grave concern over the violence against land and territory defenders in the Sierra Tarahumara over the past few years, highlighting increased territorial conflict as well as the presence of different armed groups in the region.