Body halves found near Gallup

GALLUP, N.M. (KRQE) - The McKinley County Sheriff's Department is investigating the separate discoveries of upper and lower body halves while waiting for medical investigators to determine if they are parts of one person or two.

On Monday around 530 p. m. kids playing with a dog north of Gallup found a trash bag containing the upper portion of a body.

According to deputies the unclothed torso showed multiple stab wounds plus cuts to the face.

Then on Thursday around 8:20 a. m. three people in the mesa found a garbage bag with the clothed bottom half of a body.

Deputies told KRQE News 13 the two discoveries were about 100 yards apart. The lower half carried identification, but the name is not being released.

Investigators have not linked the two half bodies together as of Thursday afternoon. Both portions have been sent to the Office of the Medical Investigator in Albuquerque to identify the person or persons and to determine the cause of death.