Ciudad Juarez: A City of Ghosts

By Aaron Perez

Published 4/21/2025 

Image Credit: KFOX

    Infamous for being the most dangerous city to live in at one point in history, just as the former was at one point as well. Ciudad Juarez also carries the infamous moniker of being the location of a major radioactive disaster, with aging medical equipment having been improperly disposed of as the cause. These scary thoughts alone can keep anyone up at night, with them wondering how such things could happen in one small area. I did not even state the various disappearances of women that have happened in the city, as this was overshadowed by the cartel killings that happened afterwards. Still, the thought of a woman suddenly disappearing would most likely point out a serial killer on the loose or worse, a satanic cult that may have been active in Ciudad Juarez for a long time. These speculations are nothing compared to the history of the city, as many battles, massacres, and disasters have happened there, which is why it may attract such events to the city. With the evils that have happened in the city, one might guess that the city is haunted, which is the case due to many of its locations being witness to many battles in the past.

 

Abandoned Hotel Riviera

Located in central Ciudad Juarez and next to where the Plaza de Toros Monumental bullring used to stand, the Hotel Rivera used to be a luxurious spot in Juarez up until the mysterious murder of a small girl. The hotel was abandoned and in disrepair but a tenant land keeper in the property mentioned that he would experience having his bed sheets pulled and other strange phenomena are said to still happen to this very day.

Kentucky Bar

A famous location for locals and tourists alike, the Kentucky Bar opened in 1920 and is claimed to be the birthplace of the world famous Margarita. This location is also said to be haunted by a mischievous spirit that moves objects when no one is looking. Visitors also claim to see a figure in the restroom which might be the same spirit that moves the objects.

Children’s Cemetery

    In the eastern parts of Ciudad Juarez, there is a children’s cemetery with the notoriety of being the hotspot of many paranormal phenomena. The area itself seems to be lost in time, with many modern neighborhoods surrounding the premises while the forgotten cemetery lays with the bodies of children dating back to the 19th century. The cemetery is infamous for ghostly shadows of children roaming within the property at night as well as giggling and other noises being heard. Toys left as offerings to the deceased are said to move at night, with local witnesses claiming that the objects would move as if an actual child was moving them. The area is also the hotspot for rituals which makes it more notorious than it must be.

Museum of Art Ciudad Juarez

    This museum is notorious for a painting that was brought from the United Kingdom which depicts an old woman staring at the viewer. Named “La Abuela” or The Grandmother, it is said that the old woman jumps out of the painting and walks inside the premises in the months of November. The painting is also said to change faces and even give a stink eye to those who come to see it.

Centro Escolar Revolution

    An abandoned primary school near downtown Ciudad Juarez, this locale was formerly the location of a cemetery where revolutionary soldiers have been buried. It is also said that former school alumni would see skeletons being dug up and moved on a constant basis as well as disembodied voices being heard when no one else was around. It is also said that the spirit of a child could be seen roaming the abandoned building, especially on the third floor.

Hospital General Ciudad Juárez

    A very famous haunting of a nurse known as “La Planchada” is said to haunt the hospital and it is one of the most well-known legends in all of Mexico. It is said that the specter can be seen roaming around and tending to the ill, even miraculously curing them of any sickness that they might have had.

Mercado Juarez

    Located in downtown Juarez, this market has two ghosts haunting its premises. The first ghost is of a woman who tragically died from a fall while trying to save her daughter. The second spirit is that of a shopkeeper who died on the property and can be heard in the early hours of the morning. Reports of smells of tobacco have also been reported, as the man used to be a heavy smoker. The spirit of a would-be bride has been spotted in the premises as well.

Tin Tan’s Personal Estate

    The now demolished estate that used to belong to Mexican icon German Valdez, brother of Ramon Valdez “Don Ramon” and Manuel “El Loco” Valdez and known for his stage name Tin Tan, was the epicenter of a huge haunting in Ciudad Juarez. It is said that cries of a little girl could be heard in the ruins as well as shadows of people roaming the halls. Hopefully, the haunting should have stopped due to the building being long demolished by the city decades ago.

Tin Tan’s Statue

Speaking of the actor, a statue honoring him was erected in the downtown plaza, which is located in front of the city's cathedral. Legend says that the statue comes to life late at night, with one witness being a street sweeper who cleaned up trash from the statue’s feet. He then claimed that the statue stood up to thank him for cleaning him before going back to his place. He was thought to have hallucinated the entire thing before more witnesses started to come forward, claiming that they heard Tin Tan’s voice and the statue moving late at night.

Juan Gabriel’s Mansion

    One of many personal estates owned by the late renowned singer Juan Gabriel is said to be haunted by his spirit. Juan Gabriel tragically died just mere hours before he was scheduled to perform in El Paso back in 2016 and his ghost is said to still roam the mansion. The estate has since become a museum dedicated to the singer and  a city landmark.

Malibu Bar

    Another well-known legend about a woman who danced with the devil may have originated from this bar. In that legend, it is said that a young woman disobeyed her parents and snuck into this bar one night. She then met the most handsome man there and proceeded to dance with him. She soon noticed that the other spectators looking at her direction were horrified. She then decided to look at her partner, seeing that he had the legs of a goat and a chicken. The location of this tale sadly no longer exists due to the building being demolished and turned into a parking lot, but the legend still lives on.

El Barreal district

    Located just south of downtown Ciudad Juarez, El Barreal district is the location of various factories and two baseball stadiums. It is also the location where one of the battles of the Mexican Revolution took place. Those who stay up at night in the area report the sounds of battle in the area, not those of cartel violence but by specters of the past. Among the sounds of battle, it is said that cannons are frequently heard and there are instances where people would get hit by objects out of nowhere and when no one else is present.

Old Town Hall

    Within the streets downtown of Ciudad Juarez, there is talk of the ghost of a homeless man who wanders the night and is dubbed “El Loco Police''. Legend of this ghost involves a deranged man who used to wander the streets of Ciudad Juarez and wail in madness. One night the man got up into a water tank, fell in, and drowned due to not being able to escape. He was only found days after due to pieces of his clothes coming out of the facets of the neighborhood. To this day his screams and wails are still heard throughout the block where he used to wander.

Route 10

The route from Juarez to Anapra is already a scary place, due to the violence and killings that happen there. The route is also said to be haunted by a very infamous specter that many people try to avoid. It is said that a hitchhiker ghost haunts this route, walking into buses late at night. The ghost always disappears once the bus passes a certain point in the journey without a trace. Legend says that the ghost is the spirit of a woman who used to live in Anapra, a poor suburb of Ciudad Juarez. The woman was murdered by her boyfriend, who is said to have buried her in the hills separating Ciudad Juarez and Anapra. 

Galerias Tec

People who frequent this mall report an eerie feeling of being watched in some locations of the mall. There have been associations with the Backrooms creepypasta with this mall by the locals due to the confusion and other phenomena that have been observed.

Las Misiones

    Another mall located within Ciudad Juarez, this location serves as a venue for the rich and upper class, which was also the site of various murders. One notable murder within the premises happened in 2019 and was a cartel dispute, which resulted in the death of a capo. A video later surfaced depicting the screams and moaning of a man late at night, when all the businesses are closed and security roams the locale. In that video, a shadowy figure can also be seen roaming inside the mall. This isn’t the only ghost reported within the premises, as a little girl is said to haunt the mall’s arcade and laser tag area, named Happyland Park.

Central Park

Not to be confused with the one in New York City, this location in Ciudad Juarez is among the largest within the city. At one point it even had giraffes and animals living in the park before it was moved to another location. The location has its own lakes, amphitheaters, garden, and a museum but it has a legend of its own. There is an urban legend that a witch lives in a cabin deep inside the park. Though this sounds ridiculous, Central Park is located in a country that is superstitious in nature, so further investigation into this urban legend needs to be investigated further.

Sierra Juarez

           The spirits of the original native inhabitants are said to haunt these mountains. Massacred by the conquistadors, these spirits roam the mountains in an area known as El Cerro del Muerto, defending their land from invaders even after their deaths.

Camino Real

A very dangerous road within the mountains of Ciudad Juarez, it is said that the area is haunted by both ghosts and witches who participate in rituals there. It is also a site where various murders happen due to how isolated it is from the city.

Mothman

         Many inhabitants within the city have claimed to observe the Mothman flying around the city. If you don’t know what the mothman legend is, it is a cryptid from West Virginia who was seen before various disasters. Many locals of the city have claimed to have witnessed a similar creature for decades.

Universidad Tecnológica de Ciudad Juárez

Opened in 1999, this institution is said to be haunted by a woman named Martha, who was kidnapped and killed in the area before the university was built. Students and staff alike have witnessed this spirit roam within the halls of the school and even spiritual sessions have been done to communicate with her. 

Anapra

       A town west of Ciudad Juarez is said to be the location of an exorcism that still haunts the area to this very day. Legend says that in the 1990s, a young woman began to hear voices and see a figure on the foot of her bed. She later on became possessed and started to speak in Latin, which prompted an exorcism that ended badly, with the young woman escaping into the darkness. She is said to have run towards the mountains, never to be seen again.

Aeropuerto de Ciudad Juarez

This airport on the outskirts of Juarez is the main source of flights for those who don’t want to travel to El Paso to get a flight. It also is said to be the home of a spirit of a little girl who appears late at night giggling and walking with a balloon in her hand. It is also said that witnesses have seen a balloon floating in the airport late at night, when no one should be in the premises.

Sources:

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“Desvelando el Misterio: Mitos y Leyendas Inolvidables de Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua.” Los Mitos y Leyendas, 15 November 2023, https://losmitosyleyendas.com/mitos-y-leyendas-de-ciudad-juarez-chihuahua/. Accessed 10 April 2024.

“Exorcismo en Anapra: La historia de terror que sigue inquietando a Ciudad Juárez.” El Heraldo de Juarez, El Heraldo, 2022, https://www.elheraldodejuarez.com.mx/local/juarez/exorcismo-en-anapra-la-historia-de-terror-que-sigue-inquietando-a-ciudad-juarez-8759143.html. Accessed April 2024.

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Huizar, José. “¿Te atreverías a ir? Cinco sitios supuestamente embrujados en Ciudad Juárez.” El Heraldo de Juárez, 25 October 2022, https://www.elheraldodejuarez.com.mx/local/juarez/te-atreverias-a-ir-cinco-sitios-supuestamente-embrujados-en-ciudad-juarez-9090237.html. Accessed 10 April 2024.

Leyendas de Ciudad Juárez: Los fantasmas que se aparecen en el Cerro del Muerto. Cuidad Juarez, El Heraldo de Juarez, 2023, https://www.elheraldodejuarez.com.mx/doble-via/leyendas-de-ciudad-juarez-los-fantasmas-que-se-aparecen-en-el-cerro-del-muerto-10878731.html. Accessed April 2024.