Fourth Corpse Found in Western US Midwest Since Last May
Gunshot Wound on Body...Suspected Involvement in 'Organized Crime'
On the 4th (local time), as the water level of Lake Mead, spanning Nevada and Arizona in the western United States, dropped, bodies have been found one after another. [Image source=Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Reporter Yoon Seul-gi] Amid a historic drought, multiple bodies have been found in the lowered water levels of Lake Mead in the United States. This marks the fourth time since May that corpses have been discovered in this area.
On the 7th (local time), according to US media outlets CNN and AP, a body was found in Lake Mead in the western US, prompting police investigations. The Clark County Coroner's Office stated that they will review past missing persons records to determine the cause and time of death of the discovered remains.
Previously, on May 1, a body with gunshot wounds was found inside a large barrel at the Hemingway Harbor of the lake. Police estimate that the remains date back to the mid-1970s to early 1980s.
On May 7, another body estimated to be between 23 and 37 years old was found. The cause of death is unknown, but since some organ tissue remains, DNA analysis is possible. On the 25th of last month, partial skeletal remains were discovered, and the investigation is still in its early stages.
Recently, the US has been experiencing severe drought. As a result, Lake Mead's water level has dropped to an all-time low, exposing bodies that had been submerged. Police believe that more remains may continue to surface in the future.
On the 3rd (local time), Lake Mead, spanning Nevada and Arizona in the western United States, dropped to its lowest water level, leaving boats abandoned and neglected. [Image source=Yonhap News]
Lake Mead straddles the border between Nevada and Arizona and is the world's largest artificial lake, created in 1936 by damming the Colorado River to build Hoover Dam. The lake supplies water to seven western US states including Nevada, Arizona, and California, as well as northern Mexico.
In the 1980s, Lake Mead's elevation reached 1,225 feet (approximately 373 meters) above sea level. However, due to ongoing drought, this year’s water level has dropped to the lowest since the reservoir was first filled in the 1930s. According to NASA, as of last July, Lake Mead's storage capacity was only 27% of its total.
Meanwhile, Lake Mead is about a 30-minute drive from Las Vegas, known as the gambling city, raising the possibility of connections to organized crime. AP reported that these bodies have sparked various speculations about long-unsolved missing persons cases and murders linked to organized crime dating back decades.
In response, police acknowledged that organized crime did exist in Las Vegas in the past but dismissed such claims as "mere speculation." Officials from the National Recreation Area also explained that the bodies could belong to people who drowned when the lake’s water levels were previously higher.
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