EDINBURG, Texas – U.S. Border Patrol assisted the Texas Rangers with the identification of a desiccated body.
On June 23, 2020, the Texas Rangers were notified of a deceased man on private ranch in Starr County. The decedent had no identification and the body was in late decomposition stages. Due to the severe decomposition, Texas Rangers contacted the Rio Grande Valley Sector Border Patrol’s Missing Migrant Program (MMP) for assistance. Agents utilized a technique known as macrophotography to collect fingerprints from the decomposed subject and made a positive identification.
The MMP is comprised of a team of Border Patrol agents that focus resources on locating lost or missing subjects who have often been abandoned by smugglers. While a concerted effort is made to locate subjects in distress, the MMP team is often used to help identify migrants that have succumbed during their treacherous journey. Additionally, the MMP will at times assist local agencies in identifying decedents found throughout the Rio Grande Valley to bring closure to families and resolution to cases.
The public is encouraged to take a stand against crime in their communities and report suspicious activity at 800-863-9382.
Even with the spread of the COVID-19 virus, human smugglers continue to try these brazen attempts with zero regard for the lives they endanger nor to the health of the citizens of our great nation. The U.S. Border Patrol agents of the Rio Grande Valley Sector will continue to safeguard the nation and community against these criminal elements.
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