Bodies of two suspected illegal border crossers found

By Kristina Davis and Jen Lebron Kuhney
Originally published February 21, 2011 at 9:39 a.m., updated February 21, 2011 at 7:12 p.m.

EAST COUNTY — The bodies of two suspected illegal border crossers were found in a rural area near Descanso on Monday, sheriff’s officials said.

Authorities were called to the area near Interstate 8 and state Route 79 about 7:15 a.m. when they received a report of a dead body. They found a Hispanic man in the rugged region of East County.

He was apparently part of a group that illegally crossed into the United States over the weekend, sheriff’s officials said. A man from the group who authorities interviewed said some of the people were brought to San Diego, while others were left in Descanso.

A woman’s body also was found in the same area. The man who authorities interviewed identified the woman as his wife, sheriff’s officials said.

No one else from the group left in Descanso has been found. U.S. Border Patrol agents were searching the area for other potential victims, authorities said.

The Medical Examiner’s Office listed the man’s death as an accident. Sheriff’s officials said no signs of trauma were found on his body. The medical examiner provided no information about the woman whose body was found.

Cold temperatures may have contributed to the deaths, though the medical examiner is still investigating how the two died. The temperature in Descanso was as low as 29 over the weekend, according to the National Weather Service.

jen.kuhney@uniontrib.com • (858) 480-9582 • Twitter @jenkuhney

kristina.davis@uniontrib.com • (619) 542-4591 • Twitter @kristinadavis

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