Meet María Elvira Murillo, the real-life inspiration behind the Narcos character
María Elvira Murillo is a Mexican businesswoman widely recognised as the ex-wife of Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo, co-founder of the Guadalajara Cartel and one of the most powerful drug traffickers of the 1980s. She is known internationally because her character appears in the Netflix series Narcos: Mexico, where Chilean actress Fernanda Urrejola brought her story to the screen. Despite that exposure, María Elvira Murillo has kept a remarkably low profile for decades.
Source: UGC
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- María Elvira Murillo is the former wife of imprisoned drug lord Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo.
- She lived with her ex-husband in Guadalajara during the height of his power but moved back to Sinaloa with her children after their divorce.
- María Elvira Murillo reportedly co-owned a real estate company, Delia Real Estate, with Félix Gallardo.
- Since divorcing Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo, María Elvira Murillo has kept a low profile, away from the spotlight.
- Her character was portrayed by Chilean actress Fernanda Urrejola in the Netflix series Narcos: Mexico.
María Elvira Murillo's profile summary
Full name | María Elvira Murillo |
Date of birth | Not publicly confirmed |
Place of birth | Mexico |
Nationality | Mexican |
Profession | Businesswoman |
Relationship status | Divorced; reportedly single |
Children | Abril Félix Murillo, Miguel Félix Murillo |
Net Worth | Not publicly confirmed; assets seized after Félix Gallardo's 1989 arrest |
Who is María Elvira Murillo?
María Elvira Murillo is a Mexican national widely recognised as the second mob wife of convicted crime boss Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo, known as "El Padrino" or "Jefe de Jefes." Limited information exists about her early life and family background.
Elvira is described as a businesswoman who co-owned Delia Real Estate with Félix Gallardo. She has never given a public interview and has no known social media presence.
Did Félix Gallardo have multiple wives?
Félix Gallardo was married twice. His first wife died of leukaemia in 1968. María Elvira became his second and longest-lasting partner. With María Elvira, El Padrino had two confirmed children: Abril Félix Murillo and Miguel Félix Murillo.
Source: Original
Inside María Elvira Murillo and Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo's relationship
María Elvira and El Padrino married during the peak of cartel operations as leader of the Guadalajara Cartel. She was the stepmother to his children from a previous relationship. María initially appeared supportive of his activities. The relationship deteriorated due to the drug lord's extramarital affairs and neglect of family responsibilities.
The marriage eventually ended in divorce after his 1989 arrest. María returned to Sinaloa with their children. Following the arrest, authorities seized their shared business properties, and she withdrew from public life.
Why did Félix's wife leave him?
María Elvira reportedly grew increasingly unhappy as Félix Gallardo devoted himself to running the cartel. He took multiple lovers and gave expensive gifts to other women, leaving her feeling ignored.
As depicted in Narcos: Mexico on Netflix, Elvira tried to persuade Félix to step back, but he refused. The couple divorced after his 1989 arrest, and she relocated to Sinaloa.
What happened to Félix's wife María?
After the divorce, María Elvira Murillo chose a deliberate path of privacy. She raised her children in Sinaloa, far from public attention. She is believed to be alive today, living quietly in Mexico, and has made no public statements about her ex-husband's release.
María briefly broke her silence in 2011. She and her two children took out a prominent full-page newspaper advertisement in Mexico City addressed to Public Safety Secretary Genaro García Luna. The letter publicly denounced the severe, isolated prison conditions and lack of medical attention Félix was facing.
Depiction in media: María Elvira Murillo on Narcos: Mexico
María Elvira Murillo is portrayed by Chilean actress Fernanda Urrejola in the Netflix series Narcos: Mexico. The show depicts her as initially supportive of her husband's ambitions, before growing increasingly unhappy with his lifestyle and affairs.
In an exclusive 2018 interview with Entertainment Tonight, Urrejola described the character's perspective:
She grew up in that narco world, so she doesn't have any judgment. She knows that her husband has to remain alive — that's what is most important for her.
Urrejola also explained how the character shifts as the series progresses:
At the beginning, she understands that he's doing everything because he wants to create this huge empire, and she thinks that it is the most intelligent thing to do. You have to keep your enemies together.
As the show's later seasons unfold, María Elvira's patience runs out:
When she realises that he's thinking bigger and losing his head in power, she gets really worried, and she tries to pull him down.
Many scenes in the series, including dramatic confrontations and violence, are likely fictionalised. Narcos: Mexico mixes real events with creative storytelling.
Who was Caro Quintero in love with?
Narcos: Mexico also depicts Rafael Caro Quintero's romantic life through a character named Sofía Conesa. This character is based on a real person: Sara Cosío, a Mexican socialite and niece of Governor Guillermo Cosío Vidaurri. The two had a brief but dramatic relationship during the 1980s.
Latest news
Félix Gallardo's story has remained in the news in recent years. In September 2022, a Mexican judge granted him house arrest with an electronic monitoring bracelet, citing his deteriorating health. He had served 33 of his 40-year sentence and was reported to be partially paralysed, blind in one eye, and deaf in one ear.
María Elvira Murillo has made no public comment on his release. She is believed to be living privately in Sinaloa, Mexico.
María Elvira Murillo's net worth
María Elvira Murillo's personal net worth is not publicly known. Following Félix Gallardo's 1989 arrest, Mexican authorities seized the couple's shared assets, including their real estate holdings through Delia Real Estate.
FAQs
- Who is María Elvira Murillo? She is widely recognised as the ex-wife of Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo, former leader of the Guadalajara Cartel.
- Where is María Elvira Murillo from? She was born and raised in Mexico.
- Who are María Elvira Murillo's children? She and Félix Gallardo reportedly share two children: Abril Félix Murillo and Miguel Félix Murillo.
- Is María Elvira Murillo married? There is no public information about María's remarriage.
- Where is María Elvira Murillo now? She is believed to reside in Sinaloa, Mexico, where she has maintained a private life since the early 1990s.
- What happened to Félix Gallardo? Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo was granted house arrest in September 2022 due to failing health, after serving 33 years of a 40-year sentence.
- Is María Elvira Murillo an actress? No. She is a Mexican businesswoman, not an actress. Chilean actress Fernanda Urrejola portrayed her character in Narcos: Mexico.
- Who portrayed María Elvira Murillo in Narcos: Mexico? Fernanda Urrejola, a Chilean actress, portrayed her in the Netflix series.
- Is María Elvira Murillo still alive? Based on available information, yes — she is believed to be alive and living privately in Sinaloa, Mexico.
- Did Félix Gallardo have multiple wives? Yes. He was married twice. His first wife died of leukaemia in 1968. María Elvira was his second wife.
Conclusion
María Elvira Murillo has maintained a low profile despite being married to drug lord Félix Gallardo during the height of his criminal enterprise. She served as the basis for Fernanda Urrejola's character in Netflix's Narcos: Mexico. After divorcing Gallardo, Murillo withdrew from the public eye and now lives in Mexico.
We also highlighted facts about 30 of history’s most notorious mobsters and gangsters, from Al Capone and John Gotti to Pablo Escobar and Griselda Blanco.
Their criminal empires spanned continents, but many of these figures came from humble or difficult beginnings—stories that reveal how they rose to power and the devastating harm they left behind.
Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
