Meet Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo’s Children: Abril Félix Murillo and Miguel Félix Murillo

Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo, infamously known as El Padrino (The Godfather) and El Jefe de Jefes (The Boss of Bosses), is a central figure in the rise of the modern Mexican drug trade.

As a co-founder of the Guadalajara Cartel in the 1970s and 1980s, he held immense power, controlling key drug trafficking routes between Mexico and the United States.

Born on January 8, 1946, in Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico, Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo came from a modest background. His upbringing in rural Sinaloa suggests he was raised in a traditional environment, likely within the predominant Roman Catholic faith of the region.

He worked as a federal judicial police agent and later served as a bodyguard for Sinaloa Governor Leopoldo Sánchez Celis. These roles indicate that he had some formal training and political connections, which later helped him build his criminal empire.

He partnered with key figures like Rafael Caro Quintero and Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo to establish the Guadalajara Cartel using his influence and government ties. This organization became one of the most dominant forces in the Mexican drug trade, setting the foundation for the massive trafficking networks that exist today.

His reign came to a dramatic end in 1989 when he was arrested for orchestrating the kidnapping and murder of DEA agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena. His conviction led to a 37-year prison sentence, which he continues to serve as of March 8, 2025.

While some of his relatives went on to play roles in the cartel world, his children, Abril and Miguel Jr., have largely stayed out of the spotlight.

María Elvira Murillo, the second wife of Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo, played a pivotal role in his personal life but has largely remained out of the public eye. His first wife reportedly passed away from leukaemia, and in the early 1970s, he married María Elvira.

Together, they had two confirmed children: Abril Félix Murillo and Miguel Félix Murillo (often called Miguel Jr.). However, some sources, including David F. Marley’s book on Mexican cartels, suggest she may have had as many as 17 children with Gallardo, though only Abril and Miguel Jr. are consistently documented in credible accounts.

María Elvira was more than just the wife of a notorious drug lord—she was a businesswoman in her own right. She co-owned Delia Real Estate with Gallardo, actively managing assets alongside him. However, after his 1989 arrest, the Mexican Attorney General’s Office seized their properties, leaving her to deal with the aftermath.

Reports suggest that their marriage eventually fell apart due to Gallardo’s infidelity, leading María Elvira to take custody of their children and withdraw from public life, intent on keeping them away from their father’s criminal empire.

Abril Félix Murillo

Abril Félix Murillo is one of the two children widely acknowledged as the offspring of Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo and María Elvira Murillo.

Born sometime in the 1970s or early 1980s, Abril was a child when her father’s empire was at its peak. She was present, alongside her brother Miguel Jr., when authorities arrested Gallardo at their Guadalajara home in April 1989.

In a rare 2021 interview with Noticias Telemundo—his first while imprisoned—Gallardo described the traumatic scene, recalling how law enforcement stormed in without a warrant and physically assaulted him in front of his children. This event undoubtedly shaped Abril’s life, forcing her into a world of chaos as her father’s once-powerful cartel collapsed.

Since then, Abril has avoided the spotlight. Unlike some of her cousins, who later became key figures in the Tijuana Cartel (Arellano Félix Organization), there is no indication that she ever became involved in the drug trade. Instead, she appears to have taken a different path, likely influenced by her mother’s efforts to distance the family from the criminal world.

Miguel Félix Murillo

Miguel Félix Murillo, often referred to as Miguel Jr., is the second child of Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo and María Elvira Murillo. Like his sister Abril, he has remained out of the public eye, with little concrete information available about his life.

Born sometime in the 1970s or early 1980s, Miguel Jr. was present during his father’s dramatic arrest in 1989, an event that undoubtedly shaped his early years.

Although his name occasionally appears in discussions about his father’s legacy, there is no evidence linking him to criminal activities or any involvement in the drug trade. After his parents separated, his mother took custody of him and his sister, reportedly raising them away from the violent world that defined their father’s life.

In 2011, Miguel Jr., along with Abril and their mother, co-authored an open letter addressed to Mexico’s Public Safety Secretary Genaro García Luna. The letter condemned the harsh conditions their father faced in prison, citing isolation, inadequate medical care, and limited contact with family.

This rare public statement suggests that, despite his crimes, they remained concerned about his well-being, offering a small but revealing insight into their relationship with him.