Mexico's professional clowns deny drug-lord killer was one of them

Leaders of the clown profession who are gathered for a convention in Mexico City say they are saddened that a killer disguised himself as a clown to kill a drug lord last week, and insist no true clown would have committed the crime.

Convicted drug trafficker Francisco Rafael Arellano Felix was shot dead on Friday in the Baja beach resort of Los Cabos by a gunman wearing a clown costume, including a wig and a rubber nose.

The dead man was the eldest brother of Mexico's once-feared Arellano Felix clan.

Clown leader Tomas Morales, a 21-year veteran of the trade, said he was certain the killer was not a professional clown. He said clowns in Mexico, especially in outlying states, knew each other and their costumes and make-up were individualised and recognisable.

"The people who do that, they're not clowns. I can swear on my mother's grave it wasn't a clown," Morales said.

Alberto Villanueva, who dresses as a medieval jester, said: "It's sad that it has fallen to that level.