As the drug-related violence in Mexico continues to escalate, it seems that the writers of an El Paso-based political commentary and satire site may have fallen victim to the violence.

For the past few to several months, Avocadoan.com has lacked new and witty material that became its trademark over a year ago. The only new material on the site in the past few months came from a guest writer said to be using a fake name. Its founders, whose dangerous, fast living was often questioned by their closest friends, are nowhere to be found. This is leading many to suspect the founders were either kidnapped or overdosed somewhere on the Pronov.

Media insiders whisper that Avocadon.com’s last words were in a yet-to-be published interview with Newspaper Tree. It is unknown whether the interview provides any insight as to the whereabouts or plans of the founders. Nor is it known if the interview gives a glimpse into the mindset of some of the greatest writers El Pasoans have ever read.

From its inception, many speculated over whether an advertisement-free site of such high quality could be self-sustaining. A refusal to let it be taken too seriously was also questioned. It seems that the popularity generated by Avocadoan.com’s “shot of adrenaline” journalism and humor may have been too much for its writers to handle. Those close to the writers said, “Once the site started getting popular, they went to a really dark place. The popularity gave them such a swagger, but the kind of swagger that could put you in one of those mass graves in Juarez, or fired from the El Paso Times; drug abuse and all other kinds of excess. They just thought they were untouchable.”

Arrogance mixed with a craving for excess, some have said, is what may have taken the writers too close to the violence taking place just south. Whether the writers of the Avocadoan were conducting in-depth journalism or just satisfying a vice is currently unknown. All that is known is that El Paso media is missing a vital component with Avocadoan.com in limbo.

What will become of Avocadoan.com is unknown. Some have said that if there were anything to salvage, Keith Mahar would have taken it already.