Who Is El Mencho? 'El Pirata' YouTube Star Murdered After Insulting Cartel Boss

Juan Luis Lagunas Rosales, 17, who used the alias "El Pirata de Culiacan" on his popular social media channels, was gunned down Monday night while partying with friends at a bar in Jalisco, Mexico. The "Pirate of Culiacan" recently insulted violent Mexican drug lord, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, aka "El Mencho" and Mexican authorities are investigating any connection between the two.

Born in the Mexican state of Sinaloa -- the same as notorious and recently captured drug lord "El Chapo" Guzman -- YouTube star Juan Luis Lagunas Rosales was famous across social media for his his videos showing raucous partying and binge-drinking despite the fact he can't legally drink in Mexico. Lagunas left his hometown in Sinaloa at the age of 15 without finishing high school and moved to Culiacan to wash cars, the viral video creator said in a July 2017 interview.

His online fame soon spilled over into his day job as he began getting invited to promotional events and parties to promote various alcohol products and men's clothing brands.

But in a recent video clip, The Pirate of Culiacan can be seen saying "El Mencho can suck my d*ck."

Unlike "El Chapo," El Mencho's face has rarely been seen and only a handful of photos obtained by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency and Mexican law enforcement officials even exist. In 2016, armed men under El Mencho's reportedly kidnapped two of El Chapo's sons at a Puerto Vallarta restaurant. Ivan, 35, and Jesus Alfredo Guzmán, 29, were caught partying on the turf of Sinaloa's newest drug rival.

Mexican authorities say Mencho has conducted several terrorist-like wars across the region, setting fire to dozens of hijacked buses, trucks, gas stations and banks throughout Jalisco.

“El Mencho a mí me pela la verga” said Lagunas, which roughly translates from Spanish to English as “El Mencho, peel my c*ck,” according to El Pais. Investigators have not determined a motive for the teenager's death as of Thursday, but he suffered between 15 and 18 gunshot wounds. Attorney General of Jalisco, Raul Sanchez Jimenez, told Mexican media outlets that "El Mencho" was being investigating for his potential link to the recorded insult.

Lagunas, 17, Lagunas can be seen in a recent video insulting a notorious Mexian drug dealer, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, who also goes by the nickname "El Mencho." U.S. government officials place him as the current leader of the New Generation Cartel of Jalisco.

His Instagram account, @elpiratadeculiacan, has nearly 320,000 followers under his own nickname, "El Pirata de Culiacan.™"