Killed police chief in Mexico...

A female police chief in the Mexican state of Chihuahua has been murdered by drug cartels. Hermila Garcia of the small border town Meoqui was gunned down Nov. 29. Garcia was 36 years old and assumed her post on Oct. 9. Many women have stepped up to take police chief positions when men were too afraid to take the job.

Unfortunately this new murder may signal the drug cartels are willing to kill whomever they feel is in authority, even women. Other women along border towns including a 20 year-old have stepped up to be police chiefs when drug cartels have murdered their predecessors.

Drug violence has been widespread throughout Mexico since 2006. Over 31,000 people have died in drug-related violence in four years, 7,200 in Juarez alone. This new case of drug murders follows other high-profile killings in the war to control Mexico's drug trade.

Tijuana

Across the border from San Diego is Tijuana where two drug smuggling tunnels connecting the two cities were uncovered by U.S. officials. In retaliation, a drug cartel massacred 13 people at a drug rehab center in Tijuana, according to the Guardian.

More recovering addicts were shot in the western town of Tepic and were clients of the same drug rehab center. U.S. officials seized over 130 tons of marijuana in early November in one of the largest drug raids in the war on drugs.

Monterrey

Mexico's wealthiest city, and third largest, is Monterrey. Drug cartels are just now beginning to fight for control of the city when it was discovered a 21 year-old college student was shot Nov. 24 after gunmen chasing a security guard started randomly shooting into a crowd, according to the El Paso Times.

Mexican troops were ordered to the state of Nuevo Leon to help keep violence levels down. Monterrey is home to one of the best universities in Mexico and many wealthy CEOs. Since the largest drug cartel split in two earlier this year they have been fighting for control of the drug trade.

David and Tiffany Hartley

When David and Tiffany Hartley took their personal watercraft onto Falcon Lake they had no idea their vacation would end in tragedy. Tiffany, David's wife, escaped after she says three boats came up to them and shot guns.

David was killed although his body has yet to be found, according to CBS News. The lake borders the United States and Mexico and has been known to be a haven for drug traffickers.

This new round of violence will only serve to escalate Mexico's war on drugs. It has already cost American lives and violence is not likely to dissipate any time soon.