By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
An investigation is ongoing into a “suspicious device” found inside a home in the Val
Verde Park Estates of the county, Val Verde County Sheriff Joe Frank Martinez
confirmed today.
Martinez issued an alert about noon on Wednesday, saying “a suspicious device” had
been discovered in Val Verde Park Estates, a residential neighborhood located north of
U.S. Highway 90 and east of the Del Rio city limits.
Martinez told The 830 Times today, “As part of an ongoing investigation into a welfare
check, Val Verde County Sheriff’s Office criminal investigators conducted a follow-up
interview at 100 Rusty Drive at approximately 10 a.m. on (Wednesday) Sept. 17.
“While conducting an interview with a resident of the home, investigators observed a
suspicious container with electronic components attached to it. For officer and public
safety, investigators and deputies secured the home and evacuated the residence,” the
sheriff added.
Martinez in his alert on Wednesday noted residents of the Val Verde Park Estates area on
Grissom Drive from Texas Street to Lisa Street would be evacuated, as well as residents
of Rusty Drive.
Martinez said today the area was evacuated about noon Wednesday, and residents were
allowed to return to their homes about 5 p.m. Wednesday.
The sheriff said after investigators and deputies cleared the residence in which the device
had been found, the sheriff’s office, with the assistance of other local, state and federal
law enforcement agencies, set up a command post at Rogelio H. Musquiz County Park.
“The Val Verde Sheriff’s Office requested the assistance of the San Antonio Police
Department Explosive Ordnance Department,” Martinez said.
“After the San Antonio Police Department EOD squad conducted a thorough sweep of
the residence, occupants of the residence and neighboring homes were cleared to safely
re-enter the area,” the sheriff added.
Martinez said the device was found not to be explosive, but added it lacked only a few
components to have been made dangerous.
The sheriff thanked the following agencies for their assistance during the emergency: the
Val Verde County Fire Department, Val Verde County emergency management, Val
Verde County Commissioner Pct. 2 Juan Carlos Vazquez, Val Verde County constables,
Val Verde Regional Medical Center’s emergency medical services department, the Texas
Department of Public Safety highway patrol and criminal investigations divisions,
Laughlin Air Force Base Office of Special Investigations (OSI), the Del Rio office of the
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and local offices of the U.S. Border Patrol, Drug
Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
“Our office’s investigation into this incident is ongoing,” Martinez said.
The writer can be reached at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com .
