A fisherman discovered the body on the bank of the river near Channelview just south of Interstate 10 and Monmouth. "We got here about 7 this morning. It was windy," said fisherman Darric Keller, who is out at the river about three days a week.
Keller said he noticed a lower than normal water level this morning, and then he saw something unexpected: a body.
"For us to come out here and hear about somebody being dropped off or whatever, it's terrible."
Deputies tell us a petite Latino woman's body has been in the water for a couple days and is badly decomposed.
Officials said the body was likely dumped nearby, but it also could have moved with the current for some distance.
"We had the cold front come in last night. That blew a lot of water out of the bay here. That's what revealed the body," Harris County Sheriff's Office Homicide Sgt. Ben Beall said.
Their first question: Could this be the body of Reina Janeth Cornejo-Triqueros -- a 34-year old missing mother of two from Beaumont?
Investigators said they believe it is her, but an autopsy is pending to confirm the identity.
Clothing on the body is similar to the clothing description of what Cornejo-Triqueros was wearing when she vanished from Beaumont on Monday. She hasn't been seen since.
The site where the body was found is downstream from where Triqueros' car was found burned out on Thursday. The vehicle was discovered under an overpass on U.S. 59 at Hamblen near the San Jacinto River.
Cornejo-Triqueros' boyfriend -- Jesus Castrejon of Conroe -- is wanted in connection with her murder. So far, there has been no sign of him.
Keller hopes police catch up with him.
"If it is her, hopefully he gets what it is he has coming to him," Keller said.
If you have any info on the whereabouts of Jose Castrejon, call authorities.
Meanwhile, investigators said they will review days worth of surveillance video from the area to see if that yields any clues.
Please stay with Eyewitness News and abc13.com for updates as we continue to follow this developing story.
