The remains of a man found stuffed in a barrel on the shore of Lake Mead have been identified as Edward Lelburian Jackson, an Arkansas man whose killing, believed to have occurred in the early 1980s, remains unsolved.
Clark County Coroner Melanie Rouse announced Thursday that Jackson was in his mid- to late 50s when he died. Authorities are seeking public assistance to solve the case. While there is longstanding speculation linking the killing to organized crime in Las Vegas, police stated that no direct evidence supports this, though it has not been ruled out. An expert on Las Vegas mob activity noted that the case bears the hallmarks of a mob hit.
Jackson was identified through genealogy profiling of a bone sample, composite sketches, and clothing he was wearing at the time of his death. The discovery of the barrel by boaters in May 2022 occurred as the water level of Lake Mead had dropped to historic lows due to overuse, drought, and increasing temperatures.
Authorities have stated the man was shot and estimate the killing took place in the early 1980s. The victim was found wearing a button-down shirt, light blue jeans, a wristwatch, and tennis shoes. Jackson's family last saw him in Arkansas in the early 1980s and did not report him missing, as he was known to travel frequently.
Geoff Schumacher, vice president of research at The Mob Museum in Las Vegas, suggested the crime had the characteristics of a mob hit, referencing a similar case from 1976 involving the disposal of a mobster's body in a barrel. He indicated that the museum would review its records to aid the investigation.
Historians note that in the early 1980s, Lake Mead's water levels were considerably higher, and the perpetrator likely believed the body would never be discovered. The receding water levels at Lake Mead have led to the discovery of several other sets of remains in 2022, identified as drowning victims from various years.
Jackson had a minor criminal history in the early 1980s in Salt Lake City, Utah, including charges related to aggravated arson and conspiracy to commit fraud. Detectives are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding his death and his presence in Las Vegas. The family reported that Jackson was married briefly and had no known children.
Lake Mead, one of the largest man-made reservoirs in the U.S., supplies water to the U.S. Southwest and Mexico. Its dropping water levels have exposed infrastructure, including the uppermost drinking water intake for Las Vegas.