Sheriff Javier Salazar said investigators are checking whether the case is tied to an earlier Border Patrol tip.
BEXAR COUNTY, TX — A utility worker found a man’s decomposed body Wednesday afternoon in tall grass along East Loop 1604 South in southeast Bexar County, prompting a death investigation by the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office.
The body was found in an overgrown area near Elmendorf, where grass stood more than six feet high, Sheriff Javier Salazar said. Deputies were called after a worker who was checking utility equipment saw the body and reported it. Investigators had not identified the man by Wednesday evening and said his age, cause of death and manner of death were still unknown.
Salazar said the man appeared to have been dead for several days and was in an advanced state of decomposition. The condition of the body made it hard for investigators to determine basic details at the scene. “It is too early to say whether or not this is foul play,” Salazar said during a briefing near the area. He said deputies were treating the case carefully because of an earlier report that may match the location and the circumstances.
The sheriff said U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents contacted the sheriff’s office about a week before the body was found. The agents had received a tip about a body possibly dumped in the same general area. Deputies searched the location first given to them but did not find anything at that time. On Wednesday, the utility worker’s discovery brought investigators back to the area. Salazar said the new location was close enough to the earlier tip that deputies were checking whether the cases are connected.
The earlier information involved a report that an undocumented Hispanic man may have been left behind or abandoned in the area, Salazar said. Investigators had not confirmed Wednesday whether the body found near East Loop 1604 South was that person. Salazar said “all clues are pointing toward that,” but he also said it would be premature to make that finding before the medical examiner and investigators finish their work. No name had been released, and officials did not say whether the man had any identification with him.
The discovery happened in a rural stretch of southeast Bexar County, away from heavier traffic and dense neighborhoods. Salazar said the grass and brush were high enough to hide the body from easy view. He said investigators were speaking with nearby property owners and looking for any information that could help them learn how the man ended up there. Deputies had not announced any arrests, suspects or vehicles connected to the case. They also had not said whether there were signs of trauma.
Salazar said human smuggling is one possibility investigators are considering because of the earlier Border Patrol tip, but he stopped short of saying that is what happened. In some smuggling cases, he said, migrants die from heat, illness or other medical problems during a trip, and others leave the body behind. If investigators confirm a smuggling link, federal authorities could take the lead on that part of the case while Bexar County deputies continue the death investigation.
The Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office is expected to work to identify the man and determine how he died. That process could take time because of the body’s condition. Investigators also are expected to compare the discovery with the earlier Border Patrol information and any missing person reports that could fit the case. Salazar said there was no known threat to the public, and deputies did not believe nearby residents were in danger.
By Wednesday evening, the investigation remained open, with the man’s identity and cause of death still pending. The next major step is the medical examiner’s review, along with follow-up work by sheriff’s investigators and any federal agencies tied to the earlier tip.
Author note: Last updated July 9, 2026.