Western New Mexico U Mustangs WR Eddie Cruz Dead In Apparent Drowning Tuesday

SILVER CITY, NM. (THECOUNT) — Eddie Cruz, a Western New Mexico University freshman and Mustang wide receiver, died in an apparent drowning, school officials said Tuesday.

Grant County Sheriff’s officials say a New Mexico State Police dive team was called out to Bill Evans Lake north of Silver City around 3 p.m. Monday after multiple calls of a possible drowning.

Divers recovered a Cruz’s body about 4 1/2 hours later, reports BeaumontEnterprise.

Sheriff’s officials say the incident remains under investigation.

School officials announced Cruz’s death Tuesday.

Western New Mexico President Joseph Shepard said in a statement that the university is devastated by the loss of “a phenomenal kid.”

Cruz graduated in June from Eastwood High School in El Paso, Texas and was studying kinesiology in college.

The Mustangs are scheduled to open their season Saturday night in Arizona against Ottawa University.

Geo quick facts: Silver City is a town in Grant County, New Mexico, United States. It is the county seat and the home of Western New Mexico University. As of the 2010 census the population was 10,315. In 2018 the population was estimated to be 9,529 – Wikipedia.