Las Vegas Police Identify Murder Victim Found Inside Lake Mead Barrel

Investigators identified a homicide victim whose body was found in a Lake Mead barrel in 2022.

Investigators have identified human remains discovered inside a barrel at Lake Mead in 2022 as Edward Lelburian Jackson. The victim, who suffered a gunshot wound, was found after falling water levels exposed the barrel during a severe drought. Authorities publicly revealed his name following years of forensic work to determine his identity.

• The discoveryA boater first found the barrel containing the remains in May 2022 as reservoir levels receded.
• The cause of death: An autopsy determined the victim died from a single gunshot wound decades prior to the discovery.
• The identificationClark county coroner Melanie Rouse announced the name at a press conference after a four-year forensic investigation.