ALPINE, Texas – Special agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) are looking into a human smuggling attempt that resulted in the death of two undocumented noncitizens this past weekend in the West Texas desert.
The Culberson County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Border Patrol assisted in the case.
On June 12, a passing motorist reported discovering two bodies on the eastbound on-ramp of Interstate 10, several miles east of Van Horn, Texas. Fingerprint checks identified the two individuals as Rosenda Gomez-Lopez, a Guatemalan national, and Edgar Vividor-Rodriguez, a Mexican national.
Cause of death is pending autopsy results, but investigation at the scene indicated that the individuals may have passed away from heat exposure or dehydration and were subsequently pushed from a vehicle.
“Human smugglers are heinous individuals who profit from smuggling undocumented migrants without prejudice and with a clear disregard of whether the people on whom they prey end up paying the final price,” said Frank B. Burrola, special agent in charge of HSI El Paso. “Homeland Security Investigations is laser focused on ensuring human smugglers face the consequences of their reprehensible actions.”
The is an HSI El Paso-led investigation.
HSI
