A Total of 13 Mass Graves Have Been Found in Viesca Containing the Charred Remains of Men and Women

“Sol Prendido” for Borderland Beat 

A total of 13 burial pits—containing the remains of what are presumed to be 13 individuals, both men and women—have been located at a site in the Salitrillo Dunes, in the municipality of Viesca. Members of the group "Grupo Vida" have been searching the area since September 1st and intend to continue in the coming days, weather permitting.

Among the items recovered from this vast expanse of land—a site recently brought to the group's attention—are fragments of skulls, phalanges, and ribs, as well as orthodontic hardware, such as dental braces, which could potentially aid in identifying the remains.

However, according to Silvia Ortiz, the group’s founder, many of the recovered remains are charred, which will likely make identification impossible. Nevertheless, there is hope that some of the better-preserved fragments may yield enough material for DNA analysis.

“There are many pieces, but they have to be in very good condition to have any chance of yielding DNA… we’ve found dental work, which is helpful—it provides a lead, as we can then check which missing persons had such dental work.”

Conditions similar to those at Patrocinio

Silvia Ortiz noted that the site, located about 70 kilometers from Torreón, shares conditions similar to those found at the Patrocinio *ejido* (communal land). In that case, remains had been incinerated using diesel or other fuels—a method employed by criminal groups in an attempt to make bodies disappear.

According to Ortiz—the mother of Stephanie Sánchez Viesca, known as "Fanny," who has been missing since November 5, 2004, in Torreón—13 burial pits containing the remains of 13 people have been discovered so far.

Although no clothing has been found that would definitively indicate the gender of the individuals, the discovery of items such as hooks or underwire—likely from a bra—suggests that at least one of the victims was a woman.

Rain has hindered the search

The rain has prevented further progress. Just two or three weeks ago, the search was called off on the third day after a storm caught the searchers—along with the authorities accompanying them—by surprise.

The same thing happened the following week; therefore, for the next search—which they hope will begin this coming Monday—they are counting on the weather to allow them to make progress.

“We’ll see what it’s like; sometimes the locations catch us off guard—what I mean is, we might arrive and it’s not raining, so we’ll just have to see how it goes.”

Sources: El Siglo de Torreón, Borderland Beat Archives