KRGV.com

LAREDO - A journey to America for border crossers begins with a dream and sometimes ends with death. The bodies of crossers are found on the ranches along the river.

One man found August 11, 2011 on a ranch in Laredo died in more than 100 degree heat. His body was badly decomposed.

"He had maggots on him. I measure the maggots. There's a little rule. It's a very gross rule. Maggots grow 1/4 inch a day. Kinda helps us narrow it down a little bit," says Webb County Medical Examiner Dr. Corinne Stern.

The remains were found 20 miles from Laredo on a ranch about 45 miles away from the Rio Grande. Investigators believe the man had been walking for four days before he died.

With the body, police recovered a wallet and cell phone. Pictures on the cell phone give Dr. Stern a place to start to try to find John Doe's real name and start the journey to send him back home.

During the autopsy Dr. Stern looks for unique identifiers. John Doe had a pony tail that was dyed blond. They also took a DNA sample to send to the lab at the University of North Texas. Dr. Stern says they identify 75 percent of all the crossers who die during their journey.

Last summer could break the record for border crosser deaths in Laredo. As for John Doe, Dr. Stern identified him and is sending him back to a small town in Mexico.