TX TX - Houston, HispMale 15-20, UP2625, passport of 'Reynaldo Portello Leija', key, clothes, Aug'87

[docbh]

Happened across this story while looking for another case and cannot believe the dots have not been connected on this one.

http://www.chron.com/news/houston-t...-years-after-human-skeleton-found-4737489.php

https://identifyus.org/en/cases/2625?page=case_information

Long story short:
Skeletal remains found in Harris County on August 14 1987
Hispanic male, 15-20 years old, evidence of strenuous labor
Carrying wallet / El Salvador passport for "Reynaldo Portello Leija" but LE unable to confirm passport belonged to the man.

67" tall, unable to estimate weight
Found in wooded area, possibly dead for up to one year.
Found clothed, details of clothing in Namus.
Also found with: "Black plastic pocket comb, brass-type key with letters "IN" and "3" on it. Wallet and passport from El Salvador belonging to "Reynaldo Portello Leija" -- date of issue 9/10/197X, Father's name Jose Efrain, Mother's name Fidelina Portillo, eyes brown, weight 120lbs, cit in El Salvador Canton"

Dentals available, DNA in CODIS.

So much information here, especially if the documents are real. Maybe someone with contacts in El Salvador could help.

Doc

 

[docbh]

Additional information, including pictures of the clothes found on the deceased.

http://www.harriscountytx.gov/CmpDocuments/21/Unidentified Decedent Fliers/1987-08-14-4744.pdf

 

[HMSHood]

Could be a migrant worker who was murdered.

 

[docbh]

Seems very likely. With so much documentation, kind of surprised a match hasn't been made yet but of course the documentation may have been fake. No indication of this, though. Believe the many missing in El Salvador from the early 1980s may complicate things as well.

Wasn't clear from NAMUS if this was foul play or not...

 

[Gardener1850]

Photo 26: Maleah Davis joins list of Houston's 56 missing children: See their faces, bring them home

• NCMEC: 1105687 - NCIC: U530004184 - NamUS: 2625

John Doe 1987

• • Date Found
  • Aug 14, 1987
• • Location Found
  • Houston, TX
• • Estimated Age
  • 15-20
• • Sex
  • Male
• • Race
  • Hispanic
• • Hair Color
  • Brown
• • Eye Color
  • Unknown
• • Estimated Height
  • 5'6" to 5'8"

On August 14, 1987, the skeletal remains of an unidentified male were found in a wooded area near 2103 FM 1960 West in Houston, Texas. Based on the condition of the remains, it is believed the date of death was a year or less prior to the date found. The decedent is believed to have been Hispanic, possibly with Native American admixture. His teeth were in good condition with one filling on his lower right second molar. He was found wearing a long-sleeved yellow shirt with black stripes ("Retrospective" brand), red gym shorts with white side stripes, brief underwear with yellow and brown stripes, and white athletic socks with green and yellow bands. He was carrying a black plastic pocket comb, a brass type key, a wallet and a passport from El Salvador belonging to "Reynaldo Portello Leija". Authorities have been unable to confirm the validity of the information on the passport. Anyone with information should contact the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences, reference case number ML87-4744.

Have you seen this child? JOHN DOE1987

 

[MadMcGoo]

Unidentified Person / NamUs #UP2625
Male, Hispanic / Latino
​

Date Body Found: August 14, 1987
Location Found: Houston, Texas
Location Found: Map
Estimated Age: Adult - Pre 20; 15-20
Estimated Year of Death: 1987
Estimated PMI: 1 Years
Estimated Height: 5'6" - 5’8”
Weight: Cannot Estimate
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Unknown

Circumstances of Recovery: On August 14, 1987, the skeletal remains of an unidentified male were found in a wooded area near 2103 FM 1960 West in Houston, Texas. Based on the condition of the remains, it is believed the date of death was a year or less prior to the date found. The decedent is believed to have been Hispanic, possibly with Native American admixture. His teeth were in good condition with one filling on his lower right second molar. He was found wearing a long-sleeved yellow shirt with black stripes ("Retrospective" brand), red gym shorts with white side stripes, brief underwear with yellow and brown stripes, and white athletic socks with green and yellow bands. He was carrying a black plastic pocket comb, a brass type key with letters "IN" and "3" on it. Also in his possession was a wallet containing the following:
—————————————————
A passport from El Salvador belonging to:
Reynaldo Portello Leija
Date of Issue: 9/10/197X
Father's name: Jose Efrain
Mother's name: Fidelina Portillo
Eyes: Brown
Weight: 120lbs
City in El Salvador Canton
—————————————————
Authorities have been unable to confirm the validity of the information on the passport.

Anyone with information should contact the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences, reference case number ML87-4744.

Links:
NamUs
NCMEC

 

[branmuffin]

There was a civil war in El Salvador from 1979 to 1992. It's quite possible that this UID got out of El Salvador. Some came to the US legally but most entered the US illegally, flying to Mexico and then taking their chances crossing the border into the US. In the link below, from an article written in 1987 it states that there was a booming business in El Salvador issuing fake visas.

There are three scenarios regarding the passport:
a) that it's fake
b) it's authentic but not in the possession of the lawful owner
c) it's authentic and belongs to the decedent

If it was fake, then what would be the point of carrying it at that point in time, especially since the US government started more stringent immigration protocols for Salvadorans.

If it was authentic but not in the possession of the lawful owner then the decedent may have used it as a form of ID, especially if it stated he was older than his actual age, perhaps making it easier for him to get a job. Without a corresponding visa it may have sent him back to ES, however.

If it was authentic AND in the possession of its lawful owner then it may be that the decedent or his family were not aware that carrying a Salvadoran passport without a visa would have sent them packing back to ES.

According to the links, Salvadoran passports and fake ID's were found all over California, in bus shelters, etc., since no one who was illegal wanted to get shipped back to ES, they'd rather be sent back to Mexico and try entry again.

All passports I know of require a birth certificate for issuance and ES was no different. Which makes me wonder if LE may have thought it was not issued to the decedent based on autopsy results for approx age. LE stated the passport was issued in 197X which is no help, especially considering the approx age of the UID. Some passports are valid for five years, some for ten. So at the latest year for issuance, 1979, that would have made our UID either 8 or 13 at the time of issuance given the age range. That is presuming that the passport actually belonged to the decedent.

If it is his passport and the names of the parents are real, I found a list of people disappeared, murdered or tortured by either government or rebel factions in ES. There are many, many Portillas and two men with the name Jose but none with a second name Efraim. Lots with other middle names.

Would a 15 to 20 year old have the skeletal development and injuries from hard labour as noted on the autopsy report? Would those types of developments and injuries be more pronounce in a younger skeleton than a more mature individual?

I would say based on clothing choices that they do reflect the age of someone in their mid to late teen to early 20s.

SALVADORANS STREAM INTO U.S., FLEEING POVERTY AND CIVIL WAR

https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc268920/m1/5/high_res_d/el-salvador.csv

The following link is from a State Dept. brief stating fake passports were issued for Salvadorans.
The Department of State Bulletin

Edited to add: I've been in Panama quite a few times and they have indigenous people there who resemble North American Indians. Same in Costa Rica so I presume that El Salvador also has an indigenous population.

 

[Melt71]

Well done @branmuffin I was going to write very similarly. I worked specifically in passport fraud prevention at one point in my career and all the scenarios you laid out are very possible.