On Thursday, October 15th, the remains of a man discovered in 2022 at Lake Mead with a gunshot wound to the head, stuffed in a rusty wooden barrel, have been confirmed to be that of a man from Arkansas. The man was murdered in the 1980s, and the case remains unsolved to this day.
Lake Mead is located at the border of Nevada and Arizona, about 48 kilometers southeast of Las Vegas, formed by the Hoover Dam on the Colorado River, making it the largest man-made reservoir in the United States.
Clark County Coroner Melanie Rouse stated that the victim was identified as Edward Lelburian Jackson, who was killed in the early 80s when he was in his 50s. Through genetic genealogy analysis of bone samples, reconstructing the face from three angles, and examining the clothing the man was wearing at the time of his death, Jackson’s identity was finally confirmed.
“We have confirmed that the remains indeed belong to Edward Jackson,” she said.
Authorities are currently seeking individuals with information to assist in solving the case. For years, there have been speculations linking the murder to organized crime in nearby Las Vegas. However, the police have stated that there is currently no direct evidence connecting the two. Nonetheless, the possibility has not been ruled out.
A specialist studying mob activities in the city mentioned that the case bears the “hallmarks” of a mob hit, but there are still unanswered questions.
The identification of the victim has reignited memories of the Mob Era in Las Vegas. From the mid-1940s to the mid-1980s, crime syndicates, primarily Italian and Jewish gangs, heavily controlled several major casinos and hotels in Las Vegas, engaging in money laundering activities. The renowned film “Casino” accurately portrays this era.
In May 2022, boaters discovered the wooden barrel in Lake Mead, stirring memories of the Las Vegas Mob Era. During that time, organized crime played a role in the growth and development of Las Vegas, with stuffing bodies into barrels being considered a sign of mob killings.
According to Lieutenant Robert Price from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, Jackson is believed to be originally from Hot Springs, Arkansas, with a brief history of criminal activity in Salt Lake City in the early 80s, including charges of arson and conspiracy to defraud.
Reported by CBS News affiliate KLAS-TV, police mentioned that Jackson had a short-lived marriage and no known children.
Price stated that there is currently no evidence linking the murder to organized crime, but he added that the possibility has not been entirely ruled out.
Jackson’s family told investigators that he enjoyed traveling. Detectives found records of him in California, where he lived with his wife in the early 70s. His family recalls seeing him for the last time in the early 80s in Arkansas, dressed in a short-sleeved shirt, light blue jeans, a silver watch, and blue and white sneakers.
Family members did not report him missing. “The family knew he traveled around the country, just popping in to say hello. They didn’t think much of it, just thought he was out and about,” Price said.
It remains unclear why he ended up in Las Vegas. However, investigators believe that this case exhibits all the characteristics of a mob hit.
On Thursday, Price mentioned that homicide detectives will continue investigating the cause of his death, calling it a “mystery.” He emphasized the need to delve deeper into the case to collect more pieces of the puzzle.
Geoff Schumacher, the Vice President of Research and Collections at The Mob Museum, stated that many questions remain about who Jackson was and what activities he was involved in that led to him being “stuffed into a barrel and thrown into the lake.” Examining files closely, he and museum staff will aid in solving the case, suggesting that the story is far from over.
Las Vegas historian Michael Green suggested that the perpetrators may have believed the body would “never resurface” due to the high water levels in the lake in the early 80s when the Hoover Dam spillway was submerged.
However, due to excessive use, prolonged drought, and rising temperatures over the years, Lake Mead’s water level is currently at a historic low. The 90-year-old reservoir’s receding water levels have revealed debris typically left behind by weekend boaters and even an old ship dating back to World War II.
(The article is referenced from CBS NEWS)