Las Cruces Police: Hiker finds human remains in arroyo

A hiker found skeletal remains in Las Cruces at 9 a.m. Sunday morning, the Las Cruces police department told ABC-7.

“It’s just really scary,” said Yasmene Gonzales, who lives in the area.

The remains were found in an arroyo off of Rinconada Boulevard, 500 feet away from a local Walmart. Police were on scene investigating as late at 10 p.m.

“You know, it’s kinda just crazy,” said Brandon Gonzales, Yasmene’s husband. “It’s really close to home.”

Police did not release any additional information, including the gender of the hiker. It was also not clear how long the remains had been in the area.

“It doesn’t really make any sense,” said Tom Shuler, who said the area is relatively safe. “This is a really nice neighborhood. We’ve been really happy. We bought a house this summer.”

“It’s really, really scary,” Yasmene Gonzales said. Especially for me. If I’m not with my husband, and I’m walking around. It makes me feel like I need to be aware of who’s around me, what’s around me, what’s going on.

“Who knows what may have happened or like how it happened?” Brandon Gonzales asked. “Who knows if there’s somebody among us?”

Police could not confirm if the death was suspicious.

Stick with ABC-7 for updates throughout the week.