August 24, 2009
Aerial Map Employed In Hunt of Dead Body
Authorities recently located old satellite footprint maps of an east Texas pasture in the second day of a search for an abandoned well that might be a burying ground for illegal aliens, and said they would ask NASA to provide a second map to assist in the search.No bodies were found, and officials hadn’t decided whether digging would resume, said FBI agent.San Augustine County Chief Deputy said a map found indicates the abandoned water well where the aliens, according to local rumor, are located next to what used to be a small pond. This recent search focused on finding the pond and then the well.“We’re hoping we can find it (the well) and get to the bottom of it and say ‘yea’ or ‘nay’ and then go on,” he said. ”We didn’t foresee the well being this hard to find.”He further said the FBI is trying to obtain an aerial map of the area from the National Aeronautics and Space Adminsitration. He said the map, which could be difficult to obtain because it might currently be in an archive in South Dakota, should reveal a dark spot where the well is.“There’s a well out there, and there’s something in it or the dogs (used in the search) wouldn’t have hit the way they did,” he said.He said the search warrant for the bodies expires very soon.Rumors of dead Mexican nationals have permeated San Augustine County for more than 10 years and have increased since a drug bust that resulted in the arrest of 31 people and hopes that the use of aerial maps will assist the investigation are high. Husband, 42, was indicted last month on cocaine trafficking charges and indicted on illegal alien harboring and transportation charges. Sheriff’s authorities obtained a search warrant to look for bodies on his property.San Augustine County Sheriff said the search is focusing on the abandoned water well because of hearsay and rumors from local residents. He said if there are bodies, they are in the well. The well was capped, for no apparent reason, five years ago on the rural pastureland 10 miles southwest of San Augustine.Authorities used three bulldozers and a crew of 15 men to search for 11 hour with no success. Husband’s ranch near the Angelina National Forest turned into a media spectacle for the second day and curious residents sat nearly mesmerized.Five illegal aliens were found locked in a warehouse behind Husband’s package store in San Augustine during the drug raid. At a federal bond hearing, several San Augustine law officers and others said they witnessed or had heard credible reports that Husband whipped and beat illegal aliens working at his package store in San Augustine and on his ranch.