SAN ANTONIO – Testimony began Tuesday for two men accused of being key figures in a human smuggling operation linked to what federal officials have called the deadliest case of human trafficking incident in U.S. history.
Authorities found 67 migrants on June 27, 2022, inside a semitrailer on Quintana Road toward San Antonio’s Southwest Side.
The migrants traveled from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, according to Mexico’s National Immigration Institute.
Initially, the death toll was 48, but it rose to 53 by June 29, with victims succumbing to heat-related injuries.
Homero Zamorano Jr., identified as the driver of the semitrailer, was arrested not far from the scene, hiding in the brush, authorities said.
A year later, authorities stated that four Mexican nationals were also arrested and connected to the smuggling organization.
The trial that started Tuesday focuses on two of the men arrested in 2023: Armando Gonzales-Ortega, the alleged coordinator, and Felipe Orduna-Torres, described as one of the leaders and organizers.
Emotional and graphic testimony marked the first day of the trial.
Roberto Quintero, a witness, told the jury he was leaving work on Quintana Road in June 2022 when he saw a young girl crying in the middle of the road.
“She pointed to the trailer, and inside there were bodies everywhere,” Quintero said.
Quintero broke down as his 911 call was played in court. In the call, the young girl could be heard crying in the background as more of his coworkers arrived at the scene. They soon realized they had spotted the driver, who was running from the scene.
San Antonio police officer Ricardo Guzman-Orozco testified that when he arrived at the scene, he immediately helped those in need. The jury watched 18 minutes of his body-camera footage showing piles of bodies in the back of the semitrailer.
“The sounds of gasping for air were unforgettable,” Guzman-Orozco said. “One by one, you could see first responders pulling limp bodies from the truck and trying to identify which individuals were alive or deceased.”
In opening statements, Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Fuchs said the undocumented immigrants were “essentially cooked” inside the semitrailer and that scratch marks could be seen along the side walls as they were trying to get out.
Photos from inside the semitrailer and of those scratch marks were also shown to the jury.
Fuchs said the human smuggling organization involved in the tragedy had been operating for eight months, completing 16 transports of undocumented immigrants from Laredo to San Antonio.
In Laredo, Fuchs said the immigrants were picked up after crossing the border and put in the semitrailer. He said they were doused with a “seasoning” that irritated and burned their skin to keep away border patrol K-9’s at checkpoints.
Once in San Antonio, they typically stopped in or around the Quintana Road area where awaiting vehicles would be. The immigrants would then disperse after that.
The organization operated in layers, with the drivers being the lowest layer, according to Fuchs. The coordinators who set up the pick-ups and drop-offs and the organizer were then in charge of operations.
As for the defense attorney in the case, during opening statements, lawyers said this case was a “conspiracy” and that their clients were not involved.
Oftentimes, in cross-examinations, the defense questions whether any forensic evidence such as fingerprints or DNA was collected from the truck.
The trial is expected to last four weeks. Some of the other suspects arrested are also expected to testify as part of their plea deals.
If found guilty, both Gonzales-Ortega and Orduna-Torres face up to life in prison.