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Police yet to identify body of woman found in Santa Teresa desert
[August 02, 2009]

Police yet to identify body of woman found in Santa Teresa desert


EL PASO, Aug 02, 2009 (El Paso Times - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- The body of a woman found in the Santa Teresa desert on Friday still had not been identified late Saturday, prolonging the agony of an El Paso family whose members are praying that the woman is not their missing loved one.



Dr. Paul Shrode, county medical examiner, said results of the autopsy, which began Saturday, might not be available until Monday. He said the first part of the process was to gather trace evidence, which can be time-consuming.

El Paso Police Department spokesman Darrel Petry, said late Saturday afternoon that he could not comment on the identification of the body or any other details of the case. He said police were waiting to hear from the medical examiner. The investigation of the area behind Santa Teresa Elementary School where the body was found was completed Saturday, Petry said.


Police have said they suspect foul play in the death of the woman, who matches the description of Gloria Huerta Marmolejo. She was reported missing on Monday. Her abandoned car was found near her East Side home in the 1800 block of Sonoma.

"Police have been in touch with us, but they haven't confirmed anything," said Mark Huerta, the missing woman's brother, who was contacted Saturday evening. "So we're still waiting and praying." Huerta said his sister returned home July 25 from a long vacation in Phoenix. She was visiting her eldest son and her grandchildren.

Dona Ana County sheriff's deputies also were involved in the investigation when the woman's body was found.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call police at 832-4400 or Crime Stoppers of El Paso at 566-8477.

Chris Roberts may be reached at [email protected]; 546-6136.

To see more of the El Paso Times, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.elpasotimes.com. Copyright (c) 2009, El Paso Times, Texas Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

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