Body found in Starr County

August 9, 2008 - 6:56PM
Dave Hendricks

Anyone with information that may be helpful in this case is urged to call the Starr County Sheriff's Office at (956) 487-5571.

WEST OF ROMA -- U.S. Border Patrol agents discovered a decomposing body here Friday night with multiple gunshot and stab wounds.

A knife with a black handle was still lodged in the body, said Lt. Larry Fuentes of the Starr County Sheriff's Office. The man, described as about 5 feet 6 inches tall, in his mid-30s and of medium complexion, has not been identified.

Border Patrol agents found the body west of Roma near the Rio Grande and called the sheriff's office about 7 p.m. Friday.

Fuentes said he couldn't estimate the man's weight due to the body's state of decomposition. He estimated the man was dead for several days before his body was discovered.

"From what we've got, he might be a Mexican national living on this side (of the border)," Fuentes said.

"Right now our primary goal in this case is to ID this person," he said, adding his office will then move forward with trying to determine the circumstances surrounding the man's death.

Investigators are waiting for autopsy results, he said. Preliminary results could be available as early as Monday.

No suspects had been identified as of Saturday evening.

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Dave Hendricks covers general assignments for The Monitor.