Murder of Miguel Castellanos shakes Colombian football: Cúcuta Deportivo and Santa Fe mourn his death
Miguel Castellanos, former mayoral candidate for Cúcuta, was murdered on 26 October on the Western Ring Road. His link to professional football prompted condolences from Cúcuta Deportivo and Independiente Santa Fe.
Cúcuta Deportivo and Independiente Santa Fe mourn the murder of former politician and ex-footballer Miguel Castellanos
The murder of Miguel Castellanos, former Secretary of Government for Cúcuta and mayoral candidate for the city, did not only shake Colombia's political landscape: it also had an impact on the country's professional football. According to infobae.com, Castellanos was killed on the afternoon of Monday 26 October on the Western Ring Road, when returning from visiting his brother, former senator Jairo Castellanos, who was hospitalised with health problems.
The attack occurred near a petrol station in the El Pórtico sector. Castellanos was travelling in an armoured pickup truck with his youngest son, who was unharmed. Following an incident with a person travelling on a motorcycle, he got out of the vehicle and was shot in the head. He died at the scene.
A past on the "Motilón" pitch
Before joining the National Police, where he reached the rank of major, and before taking on positions in public administration, Castellanos wore the Cúcuta Deportivo shirt in the early 2000s. He played as a centre-back during a period when the club competed in First B, the category it had dropped into for the second time in 1997. Photographs from that era show him with the number 2 on his back.
Former teammates from those years, such as Sady Leonardo Carrero, remembered him as a speedy defender with good aerial ability, according to Cúcuta Noticias. Castellanos is said to have remained at the club for two seasons before opting for a police career. During that period, the institution was owned by Efraín Pachón, with Moisés Pachón as sports director and Carlos Eduardo Hernández as the team's main player.
His time at Cúcuta Deportivo was also the bridge that brought his younger brother, Leandro, to the club during his formation as a goalkeeper. Leandro Castellanos built from there a career that took him to Deportivo Cali, Independiente Medellín and Independiente Santa Fe, where he became a recognised figure. Today he is a councillor in Bogotá.
Condolences from Colombian football
Cúcuta Deportivo was the first to speak out. The club highlighted the family and sporting link it had with the deceased: "Cúcuta Deportivo deeply regrets the death of Miguel Castellanos, a person very close to our institution, brother of Leandro Castellanos and uncle of our player Matías Castellanos," the club said on social media.
Matías Castellanos, Miguel's nephew, currently forms part of the "Motilón" team's squad, which is going through a demanding season: it is fighting to escape relegation and, at the same time, seeking to qualify for the semi-final quarterfinals of BetPlay Dimayor League 2026-2.
The club also extended a message to the family: "We accompany your wife, children and other family members wholeheartedly in this difficult time, and express our deepest condolences to you, wishing you strength and serenity to face this irreplaceable loss."
Independiente Santa Fe, for its part, also expressed solidarity with the Castellanos family by virtue of Leandro's link to the Bogotá institution. "Independiente Santa Fe deeply regrets the death of Miguel Armando Castellanos Serrano, brother of Leandro Castellanos Serrano, former player of the men's professional team," said the capital club in its statement. "To his loved ones and friends, a fraternal embrace in this difficult moment," it added.
More than two decades in public service
Miguel Castellanos accumulated more than 21 years of service in the National Police before entering politics. Between January 2024 and January 2026, he served as Secretary of Government for Cúcuta during the administration of Mayor Jorge Acevedo. On the day of his death, he had formally launched his campaign for mayor of the city.
Reward and ongoing investigation
Following the crime, the Norte de Santander Department Government and Cúcuta Municipality offered a reward of up to 100 million pesos for information leading to the identification and capture of those responsible. Both the National Police and the Office of the Attorney General of the Nation are conducting investigations, under the hypothesis of a possible contract killing.
Source: Google News CO — Crime