Cameron County Sheriff Omar Lucio said a body found Wednesday near a Matamoros beach could be that of missing spring breaker Justin Kirby Walker.
The body was discovered around 3 p.m. at the Costa Azul beach in Matamoros , which is a popular swimming area across the Rio Grande from Boca Chica Beach outside Brownsville.
Lucio said the clothing on the body matched the description of what Walker was last seen wearing. Walker was last seen wearing a black hat with the word “Primitive” on it, a navy blue and black tribal shirt from Zumiez, dark or khaki-colored shorts and Nike Janoski shoes.
“It (The body) appears to be wearing the same clothing the guy had when he disappeared,” the sheriff said. “There’s a high possibility that it is him.”
According to authorities, the body had been in the water for about three to four days. Walker was last seen Saturday.
Lucio said authorities are working with the Mexican Consulate and Mexican authorities to get fingerprints from the body to make a positive identification. If a positive identification is made, the sheriff said he will work with Mexican authorities to get the body transferred back to the United States .
Although authorities believe the cause of death is a drowning, an autopsy will most likely be ordered to rule out foul play.
“At this point there is no indication of that,” Lucio said.
Walker , 18, of Kendall , Texas, was last seen Saturday leaving the Ultimate Music Fest at the Schlitterbahn Beach Waterpark on South Padre Island . Authorities have been searching for him since Sunday.
In addition to local and federal agencies, authorities said, volunteers have begun to aid in the search for the missing teenager. Authorities said a handful of volunteers combed the area near Schlitterbahn on Tuesday afternoon.
Search crews from the Cameron County Sheriff’s Department actively searched for Walker on Tuesday along the water.
