NORTH OF ALTON -- Officials ordered an autopsy after a man was found dead inside his travel trailer Thursday morning.

Deputies responded about 9 a.m. Thursday to a call about a dead body found inside a travel trailer behind the Morales Construction warehouse along Mile 7 North Road, just west of Glasscock Road, said Hidalgo County Sheriff Lupe Treviño.

The man was identified as 77-year-old Eugenio Morales, according to the sheriff.

How he died remains unknown to investigators, Treviño said. He added that he believed Morales was related to the family of the same name that owns the construction company.

Preliminary autopsy results are expected Friday, the sheriff said.

"It's really difficult to tell the manner of death," Treviño said. "Every dead body we find is investigated as a homicide until proven otherwise."

Just after noon Thursday, deputies continued to investigate the property around the construction warehouse.

An employee at Morales Construction said via telephone Thursday afternoon that family members declined to comment for this story.

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Jared Taylor covers law enforcement and general assignments for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4439.