Abarca operated a small restaurant in Chicomuselo[1] and led the Mexican Network of People Affected by Mining organization.

He was shot in the head and chest by a man on a motorcycle[6] who was allegedly a Blackfire employee.

[10] Witnesses identified a Blackfire Exploration contractor as the assassin "according to a report sponsored by labor and environmental advocacy organizations".

[11] Three suspects were arrested in connection with Abarca's death, each of them had been employed by Blackfire Exploration at some time.

[3] In 2023, with help from the Justice & Corporate Accountability Project, his family escalated the matter to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.