Abducted Mexican journalist found dead

Mexico City, May 19 (IANS) The body of a 39-year-old crime reporter, abducted in Mexico's Sonora state, has been found inside a plastic bag, CNN reported.

Marco Antonio Avila Garcia's body bore signs of torture and carried a message related to drug trafficking. It was discovered Friday near Guyamas, state-run news agency Notimex said.

Avila Garcia covered the public security beat for the daily El Regional de Sonora and the Diario de Sonora in Cajeme.

Three armed, hooded men kidnapped him from a car wash.

At least 45 journalists have been killed or have disappeared in Mexico since 2006, said the Committee to Protect Journalists.

Earlier this month, the dismembered bodies of two newspaper photographers and another retired photographer were found inside plastic bags in Veracruz state.