Thread: Divers recover 2 people from Arizona canal UPDATE '3'

Divers recover 2 people from Arizona canal

Dec. 23, 2010 10:52 AM
Associated Press

GILA BEND - The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office says the bodies of two suspected illegal immigrants have been recovered from a canal near Gila Bend along Old Route U.S. 80 west of Phoenix.

The Sheriff's Office said Thursday they believe these may be the two people who had jumped into the canal late last week.

Sheriff's Office spokesman Jeff Sprong says the teenagers went missing after a Sheriff's deputy pulled over a sedan carrying five illegal immigrants on a traffic violation near Gila Bend last Thursday night.

All five ran away from the vehicle and made their way into the canal. Three of the five were found later by deputies.

Authorities say the description of the clothing is consistent with what was recovered Wednesday night.

The investigation is ongoing.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/ ... z18xgTzuuX

Third body pulled from Arizona canal

by Diana Martinez - Dec. 23, 2010 02:36 PM
The Arizona Republic/12 News Breaking News Team

A third body has been found at a Gila Bend canal where a group of illegal immigrants fled from authorities during a vehicle stop last week, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office said Thursday.

Authorities say deputies and fire personnel were in route to recover the body. Two bodies were recovered earlier Thursday.

Detectives believe that survivors did not disclose there may be a third body in the water to thwart investigators.

Three suspected illegal immigrants were rescued from the canal and arrested after a traffic stop near U.S. 80, and clothing descriptions helped identify the two males pulled earlier Thursday from the water, the Sheriff's Office said.

One of bodies is that of a 17-year-old boy who had been traveling with his father, who survived, Sheriff Joe Arpaio said. The other body is that of a male believed to be age 17-21.

Last week, deputies launched a robot into the 8-foot-deep canal. The water was murky and so full of debris that no bodies were visible.

Arpaio mentioned that this is the third case where a juvenile, or reported juvenile, has jumped into the same canal near Gillespie Dam.

"There is a trend occurring, and it has to stop," Arpaio said.

The first took place two weeks ago when a juvenile jumped into the deep water and was rescued by deputies.

"They are still taking chances, trying to evade our law enforcement," Arpaio said.

Arpaio said human smuggling is a complex and controversial problem, and he is not going to stop.

"I'm going to crack down even more starting in the new year," Arpaio said.

Arizona Republic reporter JJ Hensley contributed to this report.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/ ... z18yqlofsZ

What an irony, to enter the county ilegally and then commit suicide right in the presence of laweforcement.

"I'm going to crack down even more starting in the new year," Arpaio said.

Go Sheriff Joe! He's just trying to enforce our laws afterall.