The western Mexico state of Michoacan says it has put together over 2,500 pages of investigative reports on a May 22 shootout that killed 42 alleged cartel members and will turn the case over to federal authorities.
The state prosecutors' office said Wednesday that it decided to let federal prosecutors take over the case because the gunbattles involved federal police officers, one of whom also died in the confrontation at a ranch.
The office said it had gathered forensic, ballistics and crime-scene evidence.
The gunmen are believed to have worked for the Jalisco New Generation cartel, one of Mexico's biggest organized crime groups. But the lopsided death toll has raised doubts.
Mexican soldiers have been charged with executing suspects after a similar shootout in a neighbouring state in 2014.
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