Mexican trumpeter JOSE LUIS AQUINO has become the third musician to be murdered in Mexico in less than a week.

The 33-year-old was found with his hands and feet bound and a bag over his head in the city of Oaxaca on Thursday (06Dec07).

The slaying follows that of Zayda Pena, 28, who was shot in a hospital last week (01Dec07) while she recovered from being shot the day before, and Grammy nominated Sergio Gomez, who was tortured and strangled last Sunday (02Dec07).

Authorities fear warring drug gangs are killing off performers who they associate with their rivals.