Rancid Smell Stinks Up Neighborhood

A nauseating, lingering smell is how residents describe what is infiltrating the air in a neighborhood east of Las Cruces.

“It?s more of a rancid, rotting smell,? a man, who lives in the area, said.

Residents said they know where the smell is coming from, but sniffing out proof of the problem is a tougher challenge.

?It?s somewhat of a dead animal smell,” Vivian Sanchez, who also lives in the neighborhood, said.

Imagine breathing a sickening odor every day, for about four years. That is the smell of home for people living in this particular neighborhood. Residents said their neighbor?s backyard is stinking up the community.

“I’m not sure how to describe it,? a man said. ?I grew up in Mesilla Park, where they used what they called sheep dip to fertilize the fields, and it’s worse than that.”

The suffocating odor keeps residents indoors.

“I haven’t been able to do any barbequing for my family,? Sanchez said. ?My daughter refuses to go in the backyard because of the smell.”

Neighbors said the putrid smell blowing their way has nothing to do with their neighbor?s property. Rather, it is what they believe the property owner does in his shed.

“It is understood by the neighbors that call us that he is back there cooking up dog food,? Joe Jacquez, Dona Ana County Codes Supervisor, said.

Whatever is inside large containers surrounding the shed, the flies sure love it.

Neighbors said they have tried to speak with the property owner when they see him working in the backyard, but he hides inside. When ABC-7 stopped by, just like neighbors said, the property owner left us outside alone. ABC-7 was also unable to reach the property owner by phone.

“He is not receptive to any of our officers, nor to any of his neighbors,? Jacquez said. ?He does not return phone calls; he does not receive anybody at the gate; he will not let anybody in. We need to be able to catch, observe the person in the act so we’d be able to cite him in court.?

Neighbors said that answer just isn?t good enough.

?We pay taxes, they should be able to enforce the laws and get rid of whatever he’s doing,” a neighbor said.

There was a criminal complaint against the property owner for the same issue back in 2007. That case was dismissed.