New push to ID mesa burial victims

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - X-rays from six missing Albuquerque women have been sent to a Texas lab trying to identify the last four sets of remains recovered from sandy graves on the city's west mesa earlier this year, medical investigators told KRQE.

The Office of the Medical Investigator combed their own missing-persons records from 2000 to 2007 and found six women with similarities to the seven women already identified as victims in the west mesa case.

Earlier this month the investigators sent the X-rays to the Texas lab that specializes in identifying remains in cold-case crimes. Forensic anthropologists will compare the X-rays to the skeletal remains recovered from what is now a construction site near 118th Street and Sen. Dennis Chavez Boulevard SW.

"This is one of these cases where we need the identity of all the victims," Albuquerque Police Department Office Nadine Hamby said. The lab will also try to determine cause of death and extract DNA.

OMI wouldn't release the names of the six but told News 13 they were part of a list of missing women compiled by an APD detective compiled a couple of years ago.

Hamby said it would be a big step even if the lab identified only one of the unidentified.

"One is better than none," she said.

Investigators said last week that they plan to ask prostitutes, who usually come into town for the New Mexico State Fair, if they know anything related to the mystery. Most of the victims identified so far live at-risk lifestyles that included drugs and prostitution.

Albuquerque Police Chief Ray Schultz said his investigators have identified six people as possible suspects.

Police said with each ID they can look into whether that woman had anything in common with the others. It's those types of clues that could lead investigators to their killer.

"We can only hope that we find their identity and find out who they are right away," Hamby said..

APD continues to operate a tip line in the case at 1-877-SOLV-APD (1-877-765-8273).