Body Found In Barrel At Lake Mead; Possible 1970s Homicide Victim

LAS VEGAS, NV — The body of a person believed to have died about 40 years ago was found over the weekend in a barrel at Lake Mead, according to police.

The body was discovered Sunday at the lake’s recreational area, with the remains visible through the corroded barrel, according to CNN.

“It started out as just a normal day at the lake, and that is just the craziest thing I have seen at Lake Mead,” Las Vegas resident Daniel Ruiz, who was present when the body was found, told Fox 5.

Police were notified of the body by the National Park Service, and homicide detectives took over the investigation, according to law enforcement.

“We believe this is a homicide as a result of a gunshot wound,” Lt. Ray Spencer said in a news release from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.

Detectives estimated the victim was killed sometime in the mid-1970s to early 1980s, based on the clothing and footwear the body was found with, according to police, who said investigators were working to identify the victim. The person’s identity will be released by the Clark County Coroner’s Office when it becomes available, police said.

Spencer told Fox 5 that receding water levels were the reason for the discovery, and CNN reported more bodies are expected to surface as levels drop.

Roughly 25 million people in three states and Mexico use water from Lake Mead, which is at its lowest recorded level since the 1930s, according to CNN.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the police department’s Homicide Section at 702-828-3521 or homicide@lvmpd.com. Those who wish to remain anonymous can contact Crime Stoppers at 702-385-5555 or www.crimestoppersofnv.com.