2 charged in southern New Mexico death of smuggled migrant in U-Haul

UPDATE, July 27: A New Mexico resident and a Mexican national have been charged in the death of a migrant who was discovered in the back of a U-Haul truck cargo bed last week.

The discovery was made on U.S. 54 in southern New Mexico between the Otero/Lincoln county line and the town of Carrizozo.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, there were a total of eight people found in the truck's cargo area, all of them immigrants from either Mexico or Ecuador.

25-year-old Alexis Rebecca Lovato, of Rio Rancho, and 22-year-old Christian Adan Mora-Hernandez, a Mexican national, are charged with transporting undocumented immigrants resulting in death.

According to a criminal complaint filed in the case, Lovato was driving the U-Haul.

The two are scheduled to appear in federal court for a detention hearing on Thursday.

ORIGINAL REPORT, July 22: CARRIZOZO, New Mexico -- One person was found dead Thursday afternoon inside a U-Haul truck smuggling up to 10 migrants, according to Homeland Security Investigations or HSI.

The discovery occurred when Tularosa police pulled over the truck along U.S. 54 near mile-marker 102, according to HSI Special Agent in Charge Erik Breitzke. That's north of the Otero County border and south of the Lincoln County seat of Carrizozo.

Lincoln County Sheriff Mike Wood called it a "tragic situation" - saying the death happened "despite resuscitation efforts by emergency personnel" at the scene.

Authorities didn't provide any further information about the deceased migrant, but Breitzke said HSI was reviewing the immigration status of the 10 people found in the U-Haul; one of them was the driver.

The agency did not release information on the sex or ages of the undocumented immigrants found.

"Homeland Security Investigations is the lead agency in this suspected human smuggling incident assisted by the Otero County Sheriff’s Department, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department, Tularosa Police Department, New Mexico State Police, U.S. Border Patrol, 12th Judicial District Attorney’s Office and the New Mexico Livestock Commission," according to an HSI statement.

HSI asked anyone with information about the smuggling effort to call them at (866) 347-2423.