Alarming number of homicides in Del Valle
There have been an alarming number of homicides in the Del Valle area recently. During a 24-hour period, two more bodies were found. Both Bastrop and Travis County Sheriff's Offices are working together to determine if any cases are connected because of the close proximity.
On Sunday morning, Travis County deputies discovered a body and one day later, they helped Bastrop County since a body was found just a few miles away.
"I'm not sure who's spilling over into which county but we're both concerned," says Sheriff Rosanna Abreo, Bastrop County Sheriff's Office.
Del Valle is in Travis County but right next to the Bastrop County line. Residents say things are getting out of hand.
"It's a totally different neighborhood. It is a totally different town. So it's not like the old hometown from when I first came here. It's sorry to say but there are some sick people out there," says Johnny Thomas, Bastrop County resident.
The two bodies were found within 24 hours of each. The one in Travis County was discovered Sunday morning in the trunk of a burning car on Buck Lane in Del Valle.
Then Monday morning a body was found in the roadway near Wolf Lane and FM 535. It was less than four miles away in Bastrop County. The body was that of a white female believed to be in her early 20's.
"We've got two different jurisdictions working suspicious deaths in close proximity. So we are definitely in communication with each other, we are sharing information and we're not jumping to any conclusions but we're also not ruling out the possibility that things could be related," says Kristen Dark, spokesperson, Travis County Sheriff's Office.
The Travis County Sheriff's Office says this is the seventh body found in Del Valle in two months. That does not include the ones in Bastrop County.
Back in September, there was a quadruple homicide on Linden Road.
Three weeks later, a homeowner found two decomposed bodies on her property on Pearce Lane.
Bastrop is also seeing a high rate.
"I mean we've seen the most homicides this year, six currently this year, than we've seen in the previous eight years. Most of them seem to be either drug-related or domestic disturbance related We have worked together with Travis County to try and understand their homicide rate because so many of them have been in close proximity to Bastrop County," says Abreo.
Bastrop County says drug-related problems have increased. They have a drug unit that used to be dormant, now four people are assigned to work narcotics cases.
Moving forward, both counties would like to put an end to the tragedy.
"We're going to work very, very carefully at every angle to make sure that we have cases that are built, that are solid and bring the best chance for these families to see justice," says Dark.
Autopsy results will determine if the two recent bodies found are considered homicides.
If you have any information at all, please give Travis or Bastrop County Sheriff's Office a call.