Body found at alleged drop house in El Mirage
Lindsey Collom
The Arizona Republic
Aug. 18, 2007 05:37 PM

Maricopa County Sheriff's deputies found a dead body Saturday in the garage of an alleged drop house in El Mirage.

Deputies were called to a neighborhood near Dysart and Cactus roads about 11 a.m. on reports of a man attempting to break into a vehicle.

When authorities arrived, the man told them he was fleeing from a house containing a dead body in the 11900 block of North 130th Lane.

Sheriff Joe Arpaio said deputies and SWAT team members entered the home to find a body that appeared to have been beaten and shot. They also discovered two unclothed people inside a closet and arrested them.

About the same time, deputies were also called to Dysart High School on reports of trespassers. Deputies arrested one person but two others escaped. Authorities believe the group had earlier fled from the home on 130th Lane.

The deceased and the arrested were believed to be undocumented immigrants.

Arpaio said deputies had recently been conducting surveillance in the area prompted by calls to a hotline he established to receive tips about illegal immigration.

An investigation is ongoing.

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