Texans search for mass grave, no bodies yet found: local media

HOUSTON | Tue Jun 7, 2011 8:01pm EDT

(Reuters) - Texas authorities were investigating a report of up to 30 bodies buried in a mass grave in a rural home east of Houston, but no corpses have been found, local media reported.

KPRC-TV in Houston initially reported that the Liberty County Sheriff's Office said 25 to 30 bodies, including children, were found outside a home.

However, the station later quoted Liberty County officials as saying they had "no evidence of deceased persons" despite the earlier reports.

Another Houston television station, KHOU, also cited Liberty County authorities as their source for saying bodies had found.

KHOU said no one had been arrested.

Capt. Rex Evans of the Liberty County Sheriff's Office told reporters at the scene that investigators had "found some circumstances that have raised some questions and we have requested a search warrant. As soon as that warrant arrives here at the scene we will further our investigation."

Evans did not immediately return telephone calls or e-mails to Reuters.

FBI spokeswoman Kim Barkhausen in Houston confirmed to Reuters that the FBI had been asked to help with the investigation, but would not elaborate.

County investigators told KPRC they received a report about the location, but they did not elaborate, the station said.

Local paper Cleveland Advocate said the tipster told authorities dozens of dismembered bodies were buried at the scene.

The Houston Chronicle reported that a state law enforcement source told the newspaper that deputies were directed to the site by a psychic.

Sheriff's deputies had closed down a rural intersection at the scene about 51 miles east of Houston. Aerial television footage showed a brick house in a stand of thick trees at the end of a rural road.