According to the Secretary of Public Security of the State of Coahuila, the reporter who worked for Valedor TV died from respiratory problems while in police custody, but his relatives disputed the official account.

They said that Espinoza, who was arrested while he was covering the events in his hometown of Piedras Negras, had already received threats from police officers because of the reports he published about irregularities. In particular, he had exposed the fact that vehicles of the State Attorney General's Office (FGE) patrolled without identification plates.

Likewise, the reporter’s relatives dismissed reports made public by the Secretary of Public Security claiming that Espinoza was arrested with a colleague at a police checkpoint for driving under the influence of alcohol. The family said that the journalist was arrested after covering a confrontation between police and criminals and his report was broadcast live. In addition, the family of Espinoza said that the body of the journalist showed marks of torture, information which was not revealed in the official version.