LUKE TURF

The seasonal death toll of heat-related illegal immigrant deaths is off to an early start.

Since Oct. 1, the start of the federal fiscal year, 14 have died crossing Arizona, one from cold in December, three from heat in March and the others from unknown causes, said Charles Griffin, Border Patrol spokesman.

In the previous fiscal year, for which the Border Patrol documented 139 deaths, the first heat-related deaths weren't confirmed until April 13. This year it was March 21.