April 21, 2004
Associated PressAn autopsy has been ordered on a body found in a burning car southeast of Edinburg.
Firefighters last night responded to the blaze, then discovered a burned body in the rear seat.
Authorities say the body was so burned they're not sure if the victim was male or female.
The case is being treated as a homicide.
By ERIC GARZA
The Monitor
EDINBURG — The Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a possible homicide after firefighters found a body in a burning car.--snip
When they arrived they found a maroon four-door Impala engulfed in flames. After firefighters extinguished the blaze, they discovered human remains in the car.
Gus Acosta, public information officer for the sheriff’s department, said investigators were not able to tell whether the body was male or female due to the extent of the burns.
He said investigators believe there was foul play involved because of where the car was found and the position of the body inside.
"We’re treating this as a homicide because of the way the body was found," Acosta said. He said he couldn’t describe the position or location of the body in the car, citing that it was part of the ongoing investigation and could be detrimental to the case.
The torched vehicle was one of two cases reported Tuesday of a car on fire with a person inside.
Earlier, sheriff’s investigators responded to a similar situation in Palmview.
Residents called the Palmview Fire Department when they saw a Land Rover on fire near a field south of Business 83 along Greene Road. When firefighters arrived to extinguish the fire, they found a man still alive outside the SUV. The man currently is in critical condition at Brooks Medical Center in San Antonio. Investigators do not yet know the man’s identity or the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Acosta said investigators do not believe there is any correlation between the two incidents.
The department urges anyone with information on the case to call the Hidalgo County Crime Stoppers at (956) 668-8477.