3 people and a dog died after falling into cistern in Elgin Texas

When first responders arrived, they found a person who claimed to be part of a hunting group. He reported that his three companions had fallen into an underground cistern, a water-storage structure similar to a well. The cistern emitted strong fumes akin to a septic tank, according to the BCSO sheriff, Maurice Cook.

According to Cook, it appears that the group was hog hunting on private property when one of their dogs ran off. They then chased behind the dog, and they then discovered that it had fallen into an uncovered cistern.

Cook explained that it seems that one hunter jumped into the cistern, which was even with the ground. He became trapped after jumping in. The water level was nearly eight feet below ground, said to Cook. Authorities learned later, that hydrogen sulfite gas was in the water.

 A man and a woman from the hunting group then also jumped in the cistern, “possibly to rescue the first person,” according to the BCSO. The fourth member of the group went to his truck to get help and call 911.

“Because of the gas in the hole, we think – and we’re speculating here, we’ll let the autopsy bear this out. But we’re speculating that the gas overcame them and they were not able to maintain any kind of buoyancy on top of the water, and therefore, they sank underneath the water,”  said Cook.

The sheriff stated that the three individuals found in the cistern were from Florida and were hunting with a man from Red Rock, Texas. The deceased have been identified as Delvys Garcia (37), Denise Martinez (26), and Noel Vigil-Benitez (45). The dog did not survive as well.

The BCSO faced obstacles during the recovery effort due to gas, stagnant water, and concerns about the cistern’s walls. They pumped the cistern, ventilated the air, and flew a drone to check the walls. BCSO Investigator David Newman was lowered into the cistern with support from the Elgin Fire Department and City of Elgin Utility crews, successfully recovering the bodies of the three victims and their dog. The recovery effort was completed around 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, according to the BCSO.

All three bodies were taken to the medical examiner’s office, an autopsy has been ordered.

Cook stated that the property owner may have died prior to the incident, and the BCSO is investigating to identify the owner.

“This is a tragic event that does not need to be repeated, so if anyone has any kind of trap like this, they need to go ahead and cover it in order to protect the public,” said Cook.

The BSCO is investigating the events that led to the victims’ entrapment in the cistern “in order to confirm the reporting of the initial details.”

A GoFundMe for Denise Martinez  here.