Macario Alcalá Canchola was born around 1930 in La Piedad, Michoacán, Mexico, into a family of limited economic means. He had minimal formal education and faced numerous personal and professional setbacks throughout his life. Alcalá served briefly in the Mexican Army but was dismissed due to incompetence and indiscipline. 

He later attempted a career in professional boxing, which also ended unsuccessfully due to a lack of talent. Alcalá was married with several children, but his marriage was troubled, leading to separation. He eventually joined the Mexico City police force under the alias Fernando Ramírez Luna. During his tenure, he was accused of abuse of authority and excessive use of force, resulting in his dismissal. ​

Between 1960 and 1962, a series of murders targeting female prostitutes occurred in Mexico City. The victims were found strangled in hotel rooms, often posed theatrically, with their personal belongings removed to hinder identification. 

On September 20, 1962, the body of Julia González Trejo, a prostitute and mother of four, was discovered in a hotel room in Colonia Guerrero. The crime scene was meticulously arranged, and a message written in lipstick on a mirror read: "Jack, reto a Cueto" ("Jack, I challenge Cueto"), referencing the police chief at the time. This led to Alcalá being dubbed "Jack Mexicano" by the media. ​

Alcalá's modus operandi involved luring prostitutes to hotels, where he would engage in sexual activity before strangling them. He took measures to avoid leaving evidence, such as removing the victims' clothing and cleaning the crime scenes. Despite only confessing to two murders, authorities suspected him in at least 12 other similar cases. ​ In September 1962, Alcalá was apprehended and subsequently sentenced to 60 years in prison, the maximum penalty at the time in Mexico City. He died in prison on July 25, 1974. ​