Slain Drug Agent’s Body to Arrive in S.D.

U.S. drug agent Enrique S. Camarena was supposed to report to his new duty station here Monday morning after working five years in Mexico. Instead, the slain agent’s body will arrive today in a military transport plane to a Navy base.

Local Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) officials said Thursday that Camarena’s body is scheduled to arrive at 2:30 p.m. from Guadalajara, where he was abducted a month ago, in a military transport plane at the North Island Naval Air Station in San Diego, where it will be received with full military honors. The body will be accompanied by John Gavin, U.S. ambassador to Mexico.

Richard Slattery, assistant special agent in charge of the DEA office in National City, said U.S. Atty. Gen. Edwin Meese Jr. and John C. Lawn, acting DEA administrator, also are expected to be present when Camarena’s body arrives.

“He (Camarena) was due to report back in this office next Monday,” said Slattery at a Thursday press conference.

DEA spokesman Stan Furce said that Camarena will be cremated, and the family has requested that funeral services remain private and limited to friends and relatives. A fund to assist Camarena’s family has been established in San Diego.