Clandestine mass graves of 160 immigrant bodies were found in Texas

According to a local newspaper, a group of scientists discovered clandestine mass graves filled with unidentified immigrant bodies that died while illegally crossing the border close to a cemetery in South Texas.

The discovery, as informed by the Caller Times of Corpus Christi, took place in the Brooks County, located about 120 kilometers away from the Mexican border.

The investigators that made the discovery, are part of the Reuniting Families Proyect, an initiative of the Baylor University and the University of Indianapolis, that is trying to identify the illegal immigrants’ bodies , so they can be repatriated and send them over to their families.



Mark Collete, “Caller Times” investigative journalist, reported in a video that the scientists found over five bodies per bag, bones of three human bodies in shopping and garbage bags, and bodies that were buried directly in the dirt.

“For me this is as moving as an image of a mass grave that you have on your head, and demonstrates the same lack of respect,” said to the “Caller Times” Krista Latam, a forensic anthropologist of the University of Indianapolis.

The discoveries were done over the last two weeks when the anthropologists continued with the efforts to identify the immigrants’ bodies that die in the remote areas of South Texas, trying to run away from the border patrols during summer, under temperatures above the 37 degrees Celsius, without water or shadow.


Last year, the investigators and his students exhumed 110 unidentified bodies from a cemetery in the Brooks County. This year they did 52 exhumations, even though there were more bodies buried in that space.



The anthropologist of the Baylor University, Lori Baker, said that the bodies were mixed and they couldn’t open all the bags at the location, so additional studies are necessary to determine the exact number of recovered bodies.


The “coyotes” that help immigrants to cross the border, leave them in the south of the border control area at the 69-C inter-state, then they are driven inside the United States to be picked up at the north control area.


The undocumented immigrants walk close to 50 kilometers in a uninhabited. Over the years, hundreds of immigrants have died in this zonewhile trying to make their American dream true.

Last year, because of the pressure from pro-immigrant groups in that county, a new law was established so all the bodies that were found should be taken to the Laredo’s forensic office to do an autopsy.



Previously, the Sheriff’s office took care of the recovered bodies, as well as the investigation were the discovery was done, and the burial of the bodies at the local cemetery.

The civil servants from the county said to the “Caller Times” that they paid a fee to the Angel Howard-Williams funeral parlor to take care of the recovered bodies. The county judge, Raúl Ramírez, said that this practice was done for the last 16 years.