HARLINGEN — Autopsy results Thursday led police to identify a body pulled from the Arroyo Colorado last month as that of a missing 56-year-old Weslaco man last seen a month ago.
After a two-week investigation, officials identified the man as Ricky Lee Rowlett, who was last seen leaving Valley Baptist Medical Center on Nov. 4, a press release stated.
“This case is still under investigation at this time,” officials stated.
On Nov. 8, police issued a missing person’s alert, stating Rowlett was “wearing grey sweat pants, no shirt and yellow hospital socks” when he was seen leaving the hospital.
In the alert, police added Rowlett “will be confused if approached,” adding he “really needs his medications.”
On Nov. 15, police pulled a badly decomposed body from the arroyo more than a quarter-mile east of the Ed Carey Drive overpass, Sgt. Larry Moore said.
At the time, Moore said he believed the body had been in the waters for at least a week.
Investigators were counting on pathologists to identify the man through remains such as teeth and skeletal structure, Moore said last week, adding pathologists would determine if the body showed signs of trauma.
At about 8 a.m. Nov. 15, city work crews spotted the body floating in the arroyo, Irma Garza, the city’s spokeswoman, said.
