More Human Remains Discovered Week After Body Found In Barrel

More human remains were found at Lake Mead over the weekend, just days after a decomposed body was found in a barrel at the Nevada reservoir. 

The lake’s water levels have reached historic lows in recent months amid what’s been described as a megadrought in America’s west, leading to some grisly discoveries. 

At around 2pm PST on Saturday, May 7, the National Park Service rangers received a witness report of human skeletal remains at Lake Mead’s Callville Bay.

In a statement, the federal agency said: “Park rangers responded to the call and are on scene to set a perimeter and recover the remains.

“The Clark County Medical Examiner has been contacted to determine the cause of death.”

They explained that the investigation is ongoing and no further information is available about the cause of death or who the victim is at this time. 

The news arrives just days after a barrel containing human remains was found near Lake Mead’s Hemenway Harbor. 

A separate statement from the National Park Service revealed a witness had reported finding the barrel at around 3pm PST on May 1. 

The agency confirmed its Investigative Service Branch coordinated with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) Crime Scene Investigations (CSI) Section to recover the remains. 

“CSI and the Las Vegas Metro Homicide Units are leading the ongoing investigation and requests for information,” they wrote.

Further details have emerged since the investigation was taken over by detectives from the LVMPD, with Lt. Ray Spencer stating: “We believe this is a homicide as a result of a gunshot wound.”

Police believe the victim was killed sometime in the mid-70s to early-80s due to the clothing and footwear they were wearing.

While investigators continue working to identify the remains, one theory suggests it could be linked to the mafia. 

Spencer told The New York Times that since the victim was likely killed around the time when mob-connected casinos were rife in Las Vegas, investigators ‘won’t rule out’ that this could be the case. 

“We are going to look at that potential possibility,” he told the outlet. 

They’re also set to scan missing persons cases in the area, but it could take years before the investigation is solved, with Spencer adding: “In the 1980s, we did not have any of the DNA databases, so there was no DNA collection.”

Amid the news of the discovery of further remains, retired cops David Kohlmeier and Daniel Minor are now offering $5,000 to divers who can find any other bodies in Lake Mead in order to bring closure to the victims’ families. 

Kohlmeier told Fox5 Las Vegas: “We do believe there are others out there. We believe there are cold cases that are out there or missing people in general. Since the water is so low right now there’s a chance in history to recover bodies.”

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