Man shot in Mexico 'in wrong place at wrong time'

A 36-year-old UK man killed in Mexico was "in the wrong place at the wrong time" an inquest has heard.

Ben Corser from St Just in Cornwall was shot alongside two of his friends while they were sitting in a car outside a supermarket in Colima on 24 May 2022.

The inquest at Cornwall Coroner's Court heard on Wednesday police in Mexico had recorded a report from a witness but had been unable to find the gunman.

Assistant coroner Emma Hillson found Mr Corser had died as a result of unlawful act manslaughter and unlawful killing.

Mr Corser's family told the inquest he and friends Claudio and Alfredo had driven to a supermarket in the city and had been shot as they sat in the car, at about 18:40.

"It is most likely that this was a question of Ben and Claudio and Alfredo being tragically in the wrong place at the wrong time," the family said.

The inquest heard Mr Corser had been found unconscious at the scene and had been taken to the regional university hospital for treatment.

He was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital, at 22:00.

The post-mortem recorded he had sustained chest wounds consistent with "a projectile shot by a firearm" and a bullet had been found.

The inquest heard homicide police officers in Colima had recorded a witness to the incident who said she had heard gunshots and thrown herself to the ground.

She told them she had seen a closed white van with the driver's door open but she had not seen who was in the vehicle.

Mrs Hillson said the Mexican police told her it had gathered footage from a surveillance camera at the scene which had shown a grey vehicle but that no further characteristics, including model and registration number, had been visible.

She said police had confirmed its homicide investigation was continuing but on 4 June the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) had said "it is unlikely further information would be forthcoming because of the amount of time passed since the death".

Ms Hillson said as three years had passed since Mr Corser's death she agreed with the FCDO.

She gave her condolences to Mr Corser's family and friends and said: "It is incredibly difficult to wait this time and have no more evidence since then and it be unlikely to have more."

Mr Corser's family said: "If there ever is a conclusion drawn by the Mexican authorities as to why and by whom he was killed, that is little consequence to his family because Ben lives on in all of our hearts and in many other ways."

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