Woman found dead in Doña Ana County desert had arrived from Mexico
UPDATE, Nov. 7: Investigators have determined that a woman whose body was found last month in a desert area south of Las Cruces known as the “Quarry” had arrived from Mexico a week prior to her death being discovered.
U. S. Border Patrol surveillance images show Caroline Frances Cherry, 34, came alone across the Paso Del Norte Bridge from Juarez into El Paso on the early evening hours of Oct. 8. Her remains were then located on Oct. 15.
The Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office was seeking the public's help to determine what happened to Cherry in the days between the time she entered the county and when she turned up dead. Anyone with potential information was asked to contact Detective Bo Nevarez at robertn@donaanacounty.org.
UPDATE, Oct. 21: Authorities on Thursday said they had identified a woman whose body was found a week ago in a desert area south of Las Cruces and west of Mesquite, in an area commonly referred to as the “Quarry.”
The Doña Ana County Sheriff's Office said the woman was 34-year-old Caroline Frances Cherry; officials indicated she may have had ties with someone from Las Cruces or El Paso, but was not from the Borderland area - they didn't indicate where specifically the victim was from.
Deputies also didn't reveal a cause of death or indicate whether foul play was suspected.
The Sheriff's Office asked anyone with information about Cherry's visit to the area to contact Detective Bo Nevarez by email at robertn@donaanacounty.org.
ORIGINAL REPORT, Oct. 16: DONA ANA COUNTY, New Mexico -- The Doña Ana County Sheriff's Office put out a public plea for help Saturday in identifying a woman who was found dead in a desert area a day prior.
The woman's body was spotted by a passer-by around 2:30 p.m. Friday in the desert near the Las Alturas frontage road, west of the Mesquite exit on Interstate 10. That location is in southern Doña Ana County and is just out of sight of what deputies said is known locally as the “quarry.”
Investigators didn't indicate if a cause of death had been determined - or if foul play was specifically suspected.
Officials said the victim is believed to be a white woman between the ages of 20 and 35; she had shoulder length hair and a tattoo on her left wrist - a photo of which was released by authorities in the hopes that someone in the public would be able to identify her. She was also wearing a pair of shorts with a Star Wars logo on it at the time of her death.
Anyone with information about who the woman is was asked by the Sheriff's Office to contact Detective Bo Nevarez by email at robertn@donaanacounty.org.
