by BELO Border Bureau Chief Angela Kocherga

CHIHUAHUA, Mexico -- Two U.S. citizens were kidnapped and killed in the Mexican border state of Chihuauhua. The men are dual Mexican and U.S. citizens and lived in a region that is home to many Mormons.

Benjamin LeBaron was murdered along with his brother-in-law Luis Stubbs.

The men were reportedly kidnapped at gunpoint during a home invasion. Their bodies were dumped with a note saying it was a revenge killing.

LeBaron had become a public face for families coping with rampant kidnapping in the border state of Chihuahua.

"We want to be an inspiration and the conscience of all afflicted people from kidnapping. That's what we're here for," Le Baron said after his 15-year-old brother Eric was kidnapped in May.

Both Eric and Benjamin are U.S. citizens. Rather than pay the ransom outright, residents of Eric's hometown protested at the Chihuahua state capital to demand the government do more to protect them.

A couple of days after the protest, kidnappers released Eric. Last month, armed men kidnapped rancher and Mormon leader Meredith Romney. He was released. That kidnapping sparked an even bigger protest last week, and LeBaron had a high-profile role at that demonstration.

People in LeBaron's hometown and their relatives in the U.S. are on edge. The killers left a note on the bodies warning another community leader -- another U.S. citizen -- is next.

Mexican media report that there is a massive operation underway in the area where the two Mormon leaders were killed. Soldiers, state investigators on the ground and on air are combing the area. The state attorney general, Patricia Gonzalez, is also there.

FBI officials told ABC-7 that due to the sensitivity of the case, they could not confirm or deny that they are assisting the Mexican government in their investigation.

ABC-7 border reporter Angela Kocherga will attend LeBaron's funeral on Thursday. Stay with ABC-7 for the latest on this developing story.