Arkansas man identified as 1980s murder victim found in barrel in lake near Las Vegas - National & International News -

Arkansas man ID’d as 1980s murder victim found in barrel in Lake Meade near Las Vegas

Using forensic genealogy, a 1980s murder victim found in a rusted barrel in Lake Meade (near Las Vegas) in 2022 has been identified as Edward Lelburian Jackson. Jackson was originally from Hot Springs, Arkansas, and had no known ties to Vegas. Investigators were able to connect with distant family members of Jackson who provided a DNA match. Unfortunately, these relatives were unable to provide many details about Jackson’s life that could aid in the investigation into his death. Police are seeking anyone who knew him who can provide more information.

The barrel containing Jackson’s skeletal remains was revealed in 2022 as the water levels dropped in Lake Meade due to drought. Police found he had been shot in the head. The clothing and shoes he was wearing seemed to date to the 1980s. Because of Las Vegas’s mafia history and the fact that the body was found dumped in a barrel, many suspected organized crime involvement in Jackson’s death. However, Price said investigators “don’t have any information to support those theories” at present.

As the waters receded, the remains of several other people who were known to have drowned in Lake Meade have been found and identified.

Who was the victim?

During a press conference announcing the identification, Las Vegas PD Homicide Detective Robert Price shared information about Jackson. Jackson is believed to have been in his mid-to-late 50s when he died. He left Arkansas to live with his wife in California in the 1970s. Jackson did not have any known children.

Beyond that point, information on his movements is sparse. Jackson had a brief criminal history with charges of aggravated arson and conspiracy to commit fraud in Salt Lake City, Utah, in the early 1980s. His family last remembers seeing him when he came home to Arkansas for a visit in the early 1980s. Jackson was never reported missing.

Little is known about Jackson’s personality or even his occupation that could shed any light on what became of him. Relatives say he moved around the country frequently and would visit them in Arkansas periodically. A picture provided to police by the family show Jackson sitting in a home holding a baby.

If you have any information to share, you can call the Las Vegas PD Homicide Section at (702) 828-3521. If you would like to remain anonymous, you can call Nevada Crimestoppers at (702) 385-5555.