Six Found Dead in Union Pacific Boxcar Near Laredo, Texas

Six people were found dead Sunday inside a Union Pacific Railroad boxcar near a rail yard in Laredo, Texas, authorities said. A railroad employee discovered the bodies around 3 p.m. local time and alerted police, who responded to the scene. Laredo is a city on the U.S.-Mexico border known for its large port of entry facilitating significant commercial trade.

Police described the investigation as ongoing and fluid, with many details yet to be released. The ages of the victims and the origin of the train remain unknown. Jose Baeza, an investigator with the Laredo Police Department, said these questions are central to the continuing probe. The Webb County medical examiner will perform autopsies to determine the cause and manner of death.

The boxcar was located within a rail yard described by Baeza as miles long, functioning similarly to a loading dock at a seaport but for trains, where numerous rail cars are loaded and unloaded. Union Pacific issued a statement expressing sadness over the incident and confirmed it is cooperating closely with law enforcement officials.

Temperatures in Laredo reached 97 degrees Fahrenheit on Sunday, which likely made conditions inside the boxcar even hotter. The city is approximately 157 miles southwest of San Antonio. Port Laredo, adjacent to the city, accounted for 62% of Texas’s land port trade in 2024, with a trade value nearing $340 billion, according to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts.