DNA Results Returned from Body Found Along I-20
By: Tatiana Rodriguez, SweetwaterReporter.com
Updated: February 22, 2013
The results from the body found in July along Interstate 20 in
Sweetwater have returned from the University of North Texas (UNT)
Center for Human Identification, according to Detective Lance Richburg
with the Sweetwater Police Department.
The remains found belong to Gabriel Salinas, born March 29, 1948. His last known permanent address was in Gruver, Texas; however, Salinas worked and lived in different places throughout the area.
A DNA sample was obtained from one of Salinas' brother in Hereford, Texas, which was sent to the UNT lab. Several months after the DNA was compared, a positive identification came back as siblings.
Salinas' family in Hereford and in Mexico have all been notified.
A cause of death for Salinas cannot be determined, due to the decomposition and state of the remains being so distorted.
At 11:15 a.m. on Thursday, July 26, 2012, the Sweetwater Police Department received a call from Texas Department of Transportation workers about a body they found while cleaning along Interstate 20. The body was in the median near mile marker 242 inside of the Sweetwater city limits.
Chief Frieda stated that before their arrival, the police department contacted the Texas Rangers about the body found and Ranger Philip Vandygriff was sent to lead the team in the collection of evidence and photographing the scene.
With the results being received, the case is now closed, according to Det. Richburg.
Continued Coverage
Update: Preliminary Autopsy Results for Body Found off I-20
The remains found belong to Gabriel Salinas, born March 29, 1948. His last known permanent address was in Gruver, Texas; however, Salinas worked and lived in different places throughout the area.
A DNA sample was obtained from one of Salinas' brother in Hereford, Texas, which was sent to the UNT lab. Several months after the DNA was compared, a positive identification came back as siblings.
Salinas' family in Hereford and in Mexico have all been notified.
A cause of death for Salinas cannot be determined, due to the decomposition and state of the remains being so distorted.
At 11:15 a.m. on Thursday, July 26, 2012, the Sweetwater Police Department received a call from Texas Department of Transportation workers about a body they found while cleaning along Interstate 20. The body was in the median near mile marker 242 inside of the Sweetwater city limits.
Chief Frieda stated that before their arrival, the police department contacted the Texas Rangers about the body found and Ranger Philip Vandygriff was sent to lead the team in the collection of evidence and photographing the scene.
With the results being received, the case is now closed, according to Det. Richburg.
Continued Coverage
Update: Preliminary Autopsy Results for Body Found off I-20
