San Juan, Puerto Rico (CNN) Puerto Ricans laid out hundreds of shoes Saturday in front of the US territory's Capitol in a makeshift memorial to those killed by Hurricane Maria -- wrapping up a week in which two reports brought fresh questions about how many people died from last year's devastating storm.

Residents placed more than 1,600 pairs of shoes in front of the building, some with notes and flowers honoring one or more people. Visitors hugged one another, or looked on in tears.

Emma Rodriguez sobbed when she arrived with Alberto Martinez. They came from Aguadilla, and left shoes for Jonathan Goitia and Abner DeJesus. DeJesus had a medical condition that worsened after Maria, when he couldn't get medical attention he needed. Goitia, Rodriguez said, was found dead in his home.

"I can smell the death. This is death," Rodriguez said.