Armando Montano, who worked this summer as a news intern for the Associated Press in Mexico City, was found dead June 30 in the elevator shaft of an apartment building, according to the Washington Post. He was 22.
Authorities are investigating his death.
Montano, a native of Colorado, arrived in Mexico City in early June after graduating from Grinnell College; he had a bachelor's degree in Spanish, with a concentration in Latin American studies.
He belonged to the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) and the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association (NLGJA).
Montano was slated to take part in the UNITY journalists convention next month, according to an NLGJA statement. UNITY Student Project NAHJ lead David Plazas said, "His friends loved him, and those who worked with him admired his talent, potential and enthusiasm for life and journalism. Count me among the latter group.
"I cannot imagine the grief of his parents, his family and his closest friends. I, too, am feeling very sad, and I find it hard not to stop thinking about losing him. I will miss him."
Montano is survived by his parents, Diane Alters and Mario Montano, of Colorado Springs, Colo.