Mass immigrant graves uncovered in Texas cemetery

Volunteer researchers recently have uncovered mass graves in a South Texas cemetery that they believe contain the bodies of immigrants who died crossing into the U.S. illegally.

Two university anthropologists say the remains in Sacred Heart Burial Park in Falfurrias were found in trash bags, shopping bags, body bags or without a container.

The Corpus Christi Caller Times reports the researchers say some remains were found under small, temporary grave markers bearing the name of local funeral home Funeraria del Angel Howard-Williams.

Brooks and Jim Hogg county officials said they pay the funeral home to handle bodies found in the remote parts of South Texas near a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint.

  • WHYY thanks our sponsors — become a WHYY sponsor

The funeral home declined to comment and referred questions to its parent company, Houston-based Service Corporation International.

WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today.

Want a digest of WHYY’s programs, events & stories? Sign up for our weekly newsletter.

Together we can reach 100% of WHYY’s fiscal year goal