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{{Infobox musical artist  <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians -->
| name                = Zayda y los Culpables
| image               = 
| alt                 = 
| caption             = 
| image_size          = 
| background          = group_or_band
| origin              =
| genre               = [[Regional Mexican]], [[Norteño (music)|Norteño]], [[Tejano (music)|Tejano]]
| years_active        = 1996 - 2007
| label               = {{ubl|[[Musart Records]]|Balboa Records}}
| associated_acts     = 
| website             = 
}}

'''Zayda y los Culpables''' (English: Zayda and the Guilty Ones) were a [[Regional Mexican]] band. They were famous for their [[Cumbia|romantic cumbias]] and [[Sentimental ballad|ballads]] about love and loss. The song "Tiro de Gracia" (Coup de Grâce), describing a failed relationship,<ref name="Guardian">"[http://music.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,2222714,00.html Assassinations shock Mexican musicians]", ''[[The Guardian]]''</ref> was one of the most popular songs from the band.<ref name="Independent">Doyle, Leonard, "[https://web.archive.org/web/20071207225729/http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article3226425.ece Singers slain as Mexico's drug cartels target popular stars]," ''[[The Independent]]'', December 6, 2007</ref> The song "[[De Contrabando]]" was first recorded by the band and years later became a hit record for Mexican-American singer [[Jenni Rivera]].

==Death of Zayda Peña Arjona==
'''Zayda Peña Arjona''' (March 5, 1981&ndash;December 1, 2007) was the lead singer of Zayda y Los Culpables.

Shortly before midnight on December 1, 2007, an unknown gunman shot Peña in the back at Mónaco Motel in [[Matamoros, Tamaulipas]], across the [[U.S.-Mexico border]] from [[Brownsville, Texas]]. Two other people — a friend of Peña and a motel employee — were also shot. Both died at the scene.<ref name="Chron">"[http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5348991.html Singer shot to death after surgery in Matamoros ER]," ''[[Houston Chronicle]]'', December 4, 2007</ref> Paramedics took Zayda to Alfredo Pumarejo Hospital in Matamoros, where doctors determined that her injuries were not fatal. Physicians placed Peña in emergency surgery in order to remove the bullet.<ref name="PeopleEnglish">"[http://www.peopleenespanol.com/pespanol/en/articles/0,22490,1690253,00.html Zayda Peña Arjona Shot and Killed]," ''[[People (magazine)|People]]'', December 3, 2007</ref>

The next day, several assailants entered the hospital, roaming the corridors.<ref name="Chron"/> Once they were able to find Zayda, the assailants went in and shot her again in the chest at point blank range to ensure her death. ''[[The Dallas Morning News]]'' stated that the fatal bullet pierced her back;<ref>"[http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/world/mexico/stories/120307dnintsinger.1704ca4.html Mexican singer Zayda Pena slain in hospital]," ''[[The Dallas Morning News]]'', December 3, 2007</ref> ''[[The Independent]]'' and ''[[Reuters]]''
<ref>"[https://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN07322097 Slain Mexico singers compete from grave for Grammy]," ''[[Reuters]]''</ref> stated that the fatal bullet hit her face.<ref name="Independent"/> She was 26 years old.

Her mother, Blanca Aidé Arjona, works in the office of a public prosecutor as of 2007.<ref name="PeopleEnglish"/>

The death of Peña, who had no known connections to traffickers or any criminal activity, and did not write or perform songs about traffickers,<ref name="Guardian"/> has instilled fear and great concern in many Mexican performers.<ref name="Independent"/>

==Discography==
All of the albums are under the [[Discos Musart]] label.
*''Enamorada'' (1996) (As Zayda y Su Grupo, '''''First album''''')
*''Como Mariposa'' (1997) (As Zayda y Los Culpables)
*''Sola'' (1998)
*''Atrévete'' (1999)
*''Estoy Enamorada'' (2001) (As only Zayda with mariachi)
*''Sensible'' (2002)
*''El Amor es Así'' (2004)
*''Caída Libre'' (2005) (As only Zayda with mariachi)
*''Me Muero Por Estar Contigo'' (2006) ('''''Last album recorded''''')

== Greatest hits albums ==
*''Como Mariposa'' (2002)
*''Para Enamorados'' (2004)
*''Coleccion de Oro: La Sentimental'' (2005)
*''Recordando a Zayda y Los Culpables'' (2007)
*''Grandes Exitos'' (2008)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zayda Y Los Culpables}}
[[Category:Mexican musical groups]]
[[Category:1996 establishments in Mexico]]
[[Category:2007 disestablishments in Mexico]]