Reply #14: I think the migrant worker thing may be the key.

[Bunny]

I've read that Punta Gorda and surrounding areas were populated by retired folks on fixed incomes. But is it possible that there were many migrant workers, or undocumented people, who maybe wouldn't be missed by anyone if they were dead? Maybe no relatives would report them missing for fear of being deported? Maybe entire migrant families died, and there is no one to claim them? I read in another post on DU that this was the case when Andrew went through in 92.