El Paso police converged on the Rio Grande levee near the Ysleta Port of Entry on Tuesday evening after a report of a body along the river. Officers and rescue crews worked the scene in the Lower Valley, and the department's Crimes Against Persons Unit was called in to investigate. Police said the discovery was reported at 6:39 p.m., and the case remains under investigation.
Police confirm recovery and investigators at the scene
El Paso police told local media that investigators with the Crimes Against Persons Unit are assisting after a recovery at Levee 45 near the Ysleta crossing, according to KVIA ABC‑7. The outlet reports the call came in at 6:39 p.m. and that crews were working the levee area Tuesday evening. Authorities have not released the person's identity or the cause of death.
Where this happened
The levee sits along the river in El Paso's Lower Valley near the Ysleta‑Zaragoza international crossing. The Ysleta Port of Entry is one of the region's busiest land crossings, a point underscored in a March 2026 briefing from UTEP's Hunt Institute. The mix of heavy cross-border traffic and river channels makes this stretch a frequent scene for border and emergency responses.
River risks and past recoveries
The Rio Grande and adjoining canals have been the site of multiple rescue and recovery operations in recent years, with federal and local agencies regularly responding to people in distress along the waterway. For example, the El Paso Fire Department recovered a body near the Zaragoza bridge area in 2022, as reported by KVIA, and federal agencies have documented other river recoveries in the border sector via U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Those incidents highlight how quickly water and levee conditions can turn hazardous for pedestrians and migrants alike.
Officials have released few details while the investigation continues, and the El Paso Police Department has not announced additional information about the person's identity or cause of death. For official information about the department and its public resources, see the El Paso Police Department.
