Authorities Uncover Human Remains at Volunteer-Flagged Site in New Mexico

Authorities in New Mexico have recovered skeletal remains and personal items from a desert site west of Santa Teresa, a location identified by the volunteer group Battalion Search and Rescue (BSAR). The group claims to have discovered and reported over 20 such sites to the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office (DASO), often with little follow-up.

Volunteers Lead the Way

On November 17, members of Armadillos Search and Rescue (ASR), a humanitarian group based in San Diego, California, visited the site after BSAR reported it. ASR co-founder César Ortigoza said his team walked three miles into the desert to examine the area, where they found skeletal remains and personal items, including an identification card.

The items matched details of a missing Salvadoran woman, Ada Guadalupe López Montoya, who had been listed as missing by ASR since the summer of 2023. According to Ortigoza, López Montoya’s family had reported she last communicated with them on June 27, 2023, while crossing the border near Ciudad Juárez en route to El Paso.

“We found IDs, a birth certificate, and clothing her family said she was wearing during her journey,” Ortigoza said. Among the items were Adidas pants her sister had described.

Reporting and Delays

Ortigoza and the ASR team arrived at the site around 10:30 a.m. and promptly informed local authorities at 11 a.m. While a DASO deputy arrived approximately 90 minutes later, it took another eight hours for personnel from the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator (OMI) to recover the remains.

“We wanted to make sure the remains were recovered,” Ortigoza said. “This woman has been missing for almost a year and a half. Her family has waited long enough for answers.”

Sheriff Responds to Criticism

Doña Ana County Sheriff Kim Stewart has faced criticism for allegedly ignoring BSAR’s reports of similar sites. In response, Stewart stated that her office lacks the resources to address every report, emphasizing the logistical challenges of managing the county’s 3,800 square miles with only 16 detectives.

“We respond when we have specific information, but these reports are often a hit-or-miss effort,” Stewart explained. “If remains have been there for months or years, waiting a few more hours won’t change the situation. How do you propose we handle it differently?”

Stewart added that the investigation into the recovered remains now falls under the jurisdiction of OMI, as no evidence of a crime has been reported.

Hope for Closure

Ortigoza expressed hope that the identification process would provide closure for López Montoya’s family.

“I know no one wants to hear that their loved one has passed, but if it’s her, I hope she can finally return home and rest in peace,” he said. “Her family deserves a chance to honor her memory properly.”

Next Steps

If the remains are identified as López Montoya’s, the OMI will notify El Salvador through the State Department. Ortigoza emphasized the importance of recovery efforts like these, which not only provide answers for families but also bring attention to the dangers migrants face during their journeys.

KTSM has submitted a records request to OMI to confirm whether the remains match López Montoya’s identity. Until then, her family waits, hoping for answers after more than a year of uncertainty.

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