Braden Pontoli, a 36-year-old composer, was found deceased off the coast of Malibu on Wednesday, according to reports. The Los Angeles County Fire Department recovered his body from the water north of Malibu Lagoon around 3 p.m. after responding to calls about a body in the water.
Pontoli was pronounced dead at the scene. The Los Angeles Medical Examiner's Office determined that he suffered blunt trauma and that his death occurred on Tuesday. The manner of death has been ruled a suicide.
His partner, Tommy Lei, had reported Pontoli missing last week after he was scheduled to attend an in-person interview in Santa Monica. A missing persons poster shared by Lei showed Pontoli and his vehicle, a blue 2019 Nissan Kicks.
Pontoli was described as a composer, musician, conductor, sound artist, and sound healer. His work was characterized as meditative, invigorating, and energizing, blending genres across stage, screen, and nature.
He had a residency planned in Iceland for 2027, where he intended to create sound installation work and traditional folksong arrangements. Pontoli was also a member of the Claremont Chorale, where he performed solos with his baritone voice. The group remembered him as a gracious host and music director at the Claremont United Methodist Church, noting his kindness, patience, and generosity.
Lei expressed his grief online, writing, "This isn't the post I want to make. Braden, you are so loved and beloved. You were the music and soundtrack in my world. I still don't believe that is real. We miss you so much already."
Friends and family, including his sister McKenna Potter, have shared tributes and requested prayers and privacy during their time of mourning.