Police in Nevada announced that the remains of a man found stuffed in a corroded barrel near Las Vegas have been identified as Edward "Buddy" Lelburian Jackson. The body was recovered in May 2022 after Lake Mead’s water levels dropped during a severe drought, exposing the barrel that had been submerged for years.
Jackson, originally from Arkansas, had travelled extensively across the western United States and had previously lived in California and Utah. He was found with a single gunshot wound to the head; the bullet that killed him was not recovered, and no other items were found in the barrel besides his clothing.
Detective Robert Price of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said the investigation has found no evidence linking the death to any criminal organization, despite speculation that it could have been mob‑related. "At this point in our investigation, we don't have information to support those theories," Price told a news conference.
The man is believed to have died in the 1980s, probably in his mid‑to‑late 50s, and was never reported missing. His extended relatives in Arkansas confirmed his identity through DNA testing, a method the police used after the remains went unidentified for years.
Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the United States, supplies drinking water to about 20 million people from Las Vegas to Los Angeles. Officials warned that as the lake continues to recede, more bodies could surface. Three other individuals have already been found in the reservoir and positively identified; two are thought to have drowned, while the third death remains unexplained.
The police have not released new photographs of Jackson and are still working to identify his killer and any motive behind the shooting. Detective Price noted that Jackson was not known to be a gambler and had no known ties to Las Vegas.
Scientists attribute the worsening drought conditions to climate change, which has intensified hot summer weather and lowered water levels in rivers and lakes worldwide.
