Burned body found inside San Juan mobile home park

SAN JUAN — A property manager found the partially burned body of a 58-year-old woman at a mobile home park Thursday morning.

The discovery at Palm City Mobile Home Park, 700 W. Business 83, came after the woman’s mother called the property manager to check on her daughter after unsuccessful attempts to reach her via telephone, a neighbor said.

San Juan fire and police investigators showed up at the scene about 11 a.m. and found the woman dead on the floor of her efficiency apartment inside the park.

The woman appeared to be burned from the waist down and had likely been dead more than a day, authorities said. The outside of the apartment had no signs of fire damage.

San Juan fire marshals are leading the investigation alongside the city’s Police Department. Police Chief Juan Gonzalez said it appeared that the woman had been there "a couple of days."

"They’re still trying to figure out exactly what happened," Gonzalez said. "We don’t know if it’s a burned body or not."

An autopsy has been ordered and should provide details on how the woman died, the chief said. San Juan fire investigators could not be reached for comment Monday evening. Officials did not reveal the woman’s identity.

Officials from Rivera Funeral Home in McAllen removed the woman’s body shortly before 1 p.m., after Hidalgo County Justice of the Peace Bobby Contreras pronounced her death. He refused to comment when contacted via telephone.

Palm City Mobile Home Park owners did not allow local media to enter the gated property Thursday.

A resident of the park, who identified herself as Pam but refused to give her surname, said she was surprised the woman was found dead inside her home.

"All of a sudden I just seen all the ambulances and the fire department and the police," Pam said. "I didn’t hear nothing or see nothing, and all they’re saying is she is dead and they don’t know why or how."