Other names mentioned as the possible victim have been William Crespo, a drug mule whod allegedly turned government witness before vanishing in 1983, and Jay Vandermark, a slot machine manager who possibly knew too much about money skimming operations. The man suspected in a fatal stabbing on an RTC bus was released on bail two days earlier after he was charged with assault with a deadly weapon, according to court records. Patrick Serrato, 35, was charged with robbery, burglary and witness intimdation. Boaters found the body last month. That includes possibly the most famous case - the death of a mobster Johnny Roselli. Las Vegas police have contacted a woman to collect DNA samples because they believe her brother matches the description of the body that was found inside a b. The man has been identified as Thomas Erndt. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Police estimate the body had been in the lake since the early 1980s or possibly even earlier. Inside were human remains. Since the barrel had rusted through in its decades underwater, a high level of degradation is likely. Several more sets of partial human skeletal remains have been found since then including on July 25, Aug. 6 and Aug. 16 generally near a swimming area at the lake. By. No additional information about these remains is available at this time. . Las Vegas police are still investigating the body found in the barrel at Lake Mead, and in response to AFP inquiries would only say there is an ongoing probe. "There are also historic and prehistoric sites under Lake Mead, and if burials associated with those sites washed out, they would most likely be totally skeletal. Lake environments are in layers, with the deepest being very cold and having few scavengers.". This story has been shared 120,792 times. Catch up on the latest news and stories on the 12 News YouTube channel. Lake Mead, the largest U.S water reservoir located on the border of Nevada and Arizona, has faced declining water levels for years. Human remains found at Lake Mead more than three months ago have been identified as Thomas Erndt, who is believed to have died by drowning two decades ago, authorities in Nevada said. As the lake levels dropped, a decaying barrel emerged onto the shore. Lombardo was unsure if the evidence had been sent to Othram as of Tuesday, and Othram could not immediately be reached for comment on Wednesday. The spokeswoman would not comment further on the . Forensic anthropologists say they expect to recover more human remains. At the Mob Museum in Las Vegas, however, it was the first theyd heard of Mr Shaw. Related Topics Mafia Criminal organization Social issue Activism comments . I know he is gone, but a definite knowing would make me feel better.. The somber discoveries, attributed to climate change and long-term drought, began on May 1, when a body was found in a barrel on the shore, stirring speculation in Las Vegas that the person. Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. I think were extremely suited, Othram Chief Development Officer Kristen Mittelman said. A sign showing where Lake Mead water levels were in 2002 is posted near the Lake Mead Marina. CHICAGO (WLS) -- Just outside Las Vegas investigators are trying to identify old human remains found in a drying-up lake. A witness reported. Police estimate the body had been in the lake since the early 1980s or possibly even earlier. The body found in a barrel at the bottom of Nevada's drought-stricken Lake Mead is that of a man who was shot to death, police confirmed Tuesday.. Dr. Rebecca Hsu, a forensic pathologist in the Valley for more than 20 years, said finding out who the person in the barrel is will be difficult. Since 2013, Schafer and other volunteers have pulled 10 to 12 bodies from the lake. A body in a rusting metal barrel was found by boaters near Hemenway Harbor boat launch of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, close to Las Vegas, on May 1. The body in the barrel was found in May at Hemenway Harbor, but the remains discoveries kept coming. On 1 May, a body was found in a barrel stuck in the mud of the lake's receding shoreline. It's theorized that these bodies are connected to Las Vegas mob hits. Man visiting Las Vegas for sons bachelor party hits slot jackpot at Strip casino, Las Vegas set to hold worlds largest rockabilly event, Las Vegas gentlemens club to be subject of new reality TV show, 4 vehicles hit debris from crash, causing one to overturn in south Las Vegas, Bellagio Fountain Club to be offered for F1s Las Vegas Grand Prix, Las Vegas Starbucks second to unionize in Nevada, Chasing Horse pleads not guilty in Nevada sex abuse case, Las Vegas approves contract to build Downtown Civic Center buildings, plaza, Authorities reopen I-15 southbound at Primm after weather closure, Opening of Red Rock Scenic Drive delayed Wednesday morning due to snow. ", Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. Market data provided by Factset. ", "On Aug. 6, visitors to the Boulder Beach area discovered partial skeletal remains near the shoreline. A witness reported seeing human skeletal remains at Callville Bay within Lake Mead National Recreation Area at 2 p.m. local time Saturday, the National Park Service said in a release. The remains were found by a park visitor in the water. That includes Stephanie Isaacsons 1989 murder, which Othram said sets the world record for the smallest amount of perpetrator DNA recovered to make a match with just .12 nanograms. Legal Statement. Binder said Anthony "Ant" Spilotro, who ran Vegas for the Chicago mob into the 1980's, had a hand in "disappearing" untold numbers of people who had "run afoul of organized crime.". Someone who disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Investigators said the person inside the barrel appeared to have. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? I think anybody can understand there are probably more bodies that have been dumped in Lake Mead, Spencer said. And who knows the breadth of scenarios in which people have died there., Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. While the identity of the most recent discoveries remains unclear, medical examiners have successfully identified other Lake Mead victims. And could the latest body found be Billy "Bahama" Crespo, who was a mob drug courier? A visitor near Hemenway Harbor found a body in a barrel believed to be a murder victim who could have been killed in the mid-1970s or '80s. The investigation is ongoing, NPS officials said. The problem with the science side of it is its old science. Homicide investigators believe the body was placed in the barrel in . A bathtub ring of light minerals shows the high water line of Lake Mead near Hoover Dam at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area near Boulder City, Nevada, on June 26, 2022. May 03, 2022 8:41 AM Boaters discovered the crumbling barrel at about 3 p.m. after hearing a woman scream from the side of the beach, according to KLAS. The decedent was a male who died from a gunshot would. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. The lakes water level as of Monday was 1,052 above sea level, online data shows. Homicide Lt. Ray Spencer told the Las Vegas . Had the water level not receded so far, we never make the discovery, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Homicide Lt. Ray Spencer said. Both men vanished in 1976. The shooting happened on the 9800 block of Venus Lake Court, near Blue Diamond and South Fort Apache roads. Weve done the national hotline and had numerous call-ins, but nothing has panned out, Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo said in an interview Tuesday. "At this time, the investigation into these remains includes working to determine whether the two sets of remains are from the same person or not," the coroners office told the Las Vegas Review-Journal last week. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, discovered a decomposing body in a barrel, Man drops human jawbone off at California police station and then leaves, Missing rappers, friend found dead days after canceled performance in Detroit: report, Missing 15-year-old girl found dead near Michigan high school, Man stole funeral home van with corpse in back, dumped body on Chicago street, the National Park Service said in a statement, could have been killed in the mid-1970s or 80s. A forensic anthropology professor at Colorado Mesa University, Melissa Connor, previously told Newsweek that they the bodies within the Lake may have turned into a "soap-like consistency known as adipocere. Water is a degrading factor, animals, fish, bacteria, Hsu said. She joined the brand in 2021 as digital news writer, spanning across . Las Vegas police said they feared finding more human remains as the lake continues to be plagued by historically low levels due to rising temps and drought. Eric Blackmon, 40, died from multiple stab wounds during a fight in a shopping center parking lot. The National Park Service said Tuesday that more human remains have been discovered at Lake Mead. Police and the FBI are looking into whether the three bodies that surfaced outside Las Vegas, are three Chicago Outfit soldiers missing in action for more than 40 years. Pelosi hails abortion protesters after demonstrations at j 11-year-old reads aloud from 'pornographic' book he checked out from library at school board meeting, Influencer refuses to switch business class seats so family can sit together, Hoda Kotb's lengthy 'Today' show absence finally explained, Justin Bieber cancels remaining Justice tour dates after health concerns, Coco Austin nearly busts out of red lace bra on ttty Tuesday, How Jimmy Kimmel is shaping up before hosting the Oscars, Zach Braziller reacts to Knicks' winning streak, surging offense, Sunny Hostin Points Finger at China for COVID Crisis: Did Not Cooperate With the International Community, King Charles evicting Harry, Meghan from Frogmore Cottage, giving to Andrew. The massive, 85-year-old reservoir formed by the Hoover Dam on the Colorado River provides water for some 25 million people, as well as for millions of acres of farmland in California, Nevada, Arizona and Mexico, the Los Angeles Times reported. Im hoping so, he said regarding solving the case. That should tell you how little DNA that was, and we were able to make a positive ID.. A rusted metal barrel, near the location of where a different barrel was found containing a human body, sits exposed on shore during low water levels due to the western drought at the Lake Mead Marina on the Colorado River in Boulder City, Nevada, on May 5, 2022. It was a time where the mob was on the front page almost every day, Mob Museum VP of Exhibits Geoff Schumacher said. With the lowering lake levels police said more bodies will likely be found. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. None of the bodies have been identified so far. Dr. Rebecca Hsu, a forensic pathologist in the Valley for more than 20 years, said finding out who. Mittelman said theyve solved multiple cases with remains found in bodies of water decades earlier. The frightening find was made by two paddleboarders at the largest reservoir in the US. Additionally, officials have not released the cause of death of the fourth corpse found in recent months. (AP Photo/John Locher, File). soap-like consistency known as adipocere. On May 7, human skeletal remains were found near the lake's Callville Bay, according to NPS. "Sleeping with the fishes" is a notorious description of what happened to some organized crime figures after they were murdered by the mob. A man suspected in a downtown Las Vegas killing was rebooked Friday in connection with a second killing this year. The Clark County medical examiner will determine the cause of death. Mafia bosses sweating bullets now after people they threw into the lake decades ago are popping up on the dry lake bed. Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in, Four sets of remains have been found at Lake Mead since May as climate change exacerbates receding waters, Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile. LAS VEGAS (KSNV) The FBI is now helping out in an investigation into human remains found in a barrel at Lake Mead last month. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. The Clark County medical examiner will determine the victims cause of death, the National Park Service said in a statement. The interest remains high in Las Vegas about just who the body in the barrel was, Mr Schumacher tells The Independent. But it. The barrel containing skeletal human remains was spotted by . Have they identified the body? LAS VEGAS (KTNV) Three sets of human remains found at Lake Mead in recent weeks offer three new mysteries to be solved by the Clark County coroner. Homicide investigators believe the victim was shot to death . Southwest megadrought and climate change has resulted in the reservoir outside Las Vegas dropping, and bodies including a . Passersby discovered human remains, likely from the 70s or 80s, in a rusty barrel near Lake Mead's shoreline on Sunday. On May 1, the first set of human remains at the depleted lake was discovered inside a barrel near Hemenway Harbor. RELATED: US to hold back Lake Powell water to protect hydropower. It was a Sunday afternoon not far from the launch ramp at Hemenway Harbor. However . Market data provided by Factset. The remains were discovered six days after another visitor near Hemenway Harbor found a body in a barrel believed to be a murder victim who could have been killed in the mid-1970s or 80s. Investigators believe the barrel was fully intact when it was dropped into the lake, which would have been several dozen feet deep at that location decades earlier, investigators told the station. In a statement to the. The Clark County Coroner determined the man died by gunshot wound, and his shoes lead detectives to believe the murder took place in the late 70s or early 80s. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Human remains have been discovered in the lake. But it may be that all three unidentified Lake Mead bodies had no Chicago mob ties, and all of this is pure coincidence. A body inside a barrel was found over the weekend on the the newly exposed bottom of Nevada's Lake Mead as drought depletes one of the largest U.S. reservoirs. Ms Brock said shed been contacted by police in May for DNA samples. I'm sure there are going to be more," Schafter told the Las Vegas Review Journal. Thus far, none of the remains found at Lake Mead this year have been identified, nor their sex determined, on account of how much decomposition had occurred. Couple Found Killed in 'Gruesome' Double Murder After Daughter Discovers Blood in Their Home, 2 Teens Charged with Murder After 71-Year-Old's Body Is Found in Hand-Dug Grave in Alabama: Police, More Human Remains Discovered in Lake Mead, Less than a Week After Body in Barrel Was Found, Texas Rangers Launch Homicide Probe Into Death of 16-Year-Old Runaway Who Vanished in 2000, Police Reveal How and When the Person Whose Body Was Found in Barrel at Lake Mead Was Killed, Man Who Allegedly Killed His Wife During Their Honeymoon Charged with Her Murder. RELATED: Lake Mead water levels hit lowest point in 51 years. This is the third known set of remains found at Lake Mead since the breaking story of remains found in a barrel in May. One witness said you could still see the persons jeans with his shirt tucked in and a belt around his waist. There's speculation those remains could be tied to the Chicago mob. Since the lake was created in the 1930s, around 300 people have drowned in the reservoir. An ongoing drought has led to a steep decline in the water level of Lake Mead, the nation's largest manmade reservoir, which is located in Nevada and Arizona and is formed by the Hoover Dam. I think weve proven before we can work with such remains and make an identification.. We are praying that it is Bob, she said. Police believe the remains were that of a man who died from a gunshot wound,. On 6 August, authorities were again called to Swim Beach after the discovery of more remains, according to a press release from the National Park Service. Levels have become so depleted that Las Vegas began pumping water from deeper within Lake Mead, which provides water and power to millions. Those found on May 1, for example, came from a corroded barrel with an obvious gunshot wound. On May 1, the first set of human remains at the depleted lake was discovered inside a barrel near Hemenway Harbor. Body in the barrel at Lake Mead has makings of Mob hit Coroner: Will take at least a year to identify the remains Published: May 19th, 2022 On May 1, a boater at Lake Mead spotted this barrel, containing a dead body, revealed by the drought-plagued lake's receding waters at Hemenway Harbor, about 30 miles from Las Vegas. Marlene Lenthang is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital. Authorities did say they expect to come across more bodies dumped in Lake Mead as the water levels continue to drop. From, lets call it 1940, to the present day, a whole lot of people have been at Lake Mead out on boats, fishing from the shore, swimming, doing whatever they do, he says. One set of human remains were discovered in a barrelpolice believe the remains belong to the victim of a mob-related shooting. Be more, '' Schafter told the Las Vegas dropping, and all of this is coincidence. Dropping, and all of this is pure coincidence Callville Bay, according to NPS was Friday! 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