Authorities discovered two bodies buried at a South Texas beach earlier this week. The family of a missing couple, last seen in Corpus Christi, are desperately waiting for answers.
Family members said that 48-year-old James Butler and his wife, 46-year-old Michelle Butler, made contact with them last on October 16. On Friday, the Kleberg County Sheriff’s Office announced that the pair were officially considered missing.
On Sunday, police found a female’s body buried in a shallow grave in “the bowl” of Padre Island, near Corpus Christi, The Washington Post reports. Authorities found a male’s body buried the following day. According to Chief Deputy Jaime Garza, the male’s body was found buried underneath the female’s body.
NBC 6 reports that family members fear that the deceased victims may be the Butler couple. The Nueces County Medical Examiner’s Office is currently trying to identify the victims. Authorities said both bodies were badly decomposed.
“We don’t want to come out and say for sure, definitively that this is connected to the missing persons case because it’s just too preliminarily early stage to tell,” Kleberg County Sheriff Richard Kirkpatrick said.
Police said the New Hampshire couple had been traveling the country in their RV since June. They were last spotted setting up their camp at Burner Beach in Corpus Christi on October 14.
James Butler’s sister, Deborah van Loon, told the New Hampshire Union Leader that the couple’s camper had been parked close to where the bodies were found.
“It is pretty devastating because it’s right where their camper was parked,” van Loon said. “Their camper was literally parked right there.”
“If it isn’t them, it’s one major coincidence, that’s for sure.”
The story is developing. Check back for updates.
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[Feature Photo: James and Michelle Butler/Handout]
