Las Vegas police to identify man found in Lake Mead barrel

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 15 Oct, 20:02 · Archive

Las Vegas police plan to reveal the identity of a man found shot inside a barrel at Lake Mead in 2022.

Las Vegas police will hold a news conference Thursday to reveal the identity of a man whose body was found in a barrel at Lake Mead in 2022. The discovery by boaters sparked memories of the city's mob era, which ended in the mid-1980s. A body stuffed in a barrel was historically associated with mob killings.

Authorities say the man was shot. Based on the type of shoes found with him, they estimate he was killed between the mid-1970s and early 1980s. The man had been wearing a button-down short-sleeve shirt, light blue jeans, a silver wristwatch and blue-and-white tennis shoes.

The Mob Museum in Las Vegas has speculated the victim could be connected to the mob, suggesting three possibilities: George 'Jay' Vandermark, a gambling machine cheater at the Stardust casino; William Crespo, a drug-runner turned federal informant; or Johnny Pappas, who owned a boat at Lake Mead and worked in the casino industry. All three disappeared and their bodies were never found.

Lake Mead is at historic low levels due to overuse, drought and rising temperatures. The water level of the 90-year-old reservoir has dropped, exposing previously submerged areas. Historians predict more bodies could be found as the water continues to recede.

How it is being reported

• Las Vegas police plan to release the ID of a man found in a barrel in Lake MeadPolice in Las Vegas are poised to settle a mystery by publicly revealing the identity of a man whose body was found in a barrel in Lake Mead.Clickorlando · 15 Oct, 16:10
• Las Vegas police plan to release the ID of a man found in a barrel in Lake MeadPolice in Las Vegas are poised to settle a mystery by publicly revealing the identity of a man whose body was found in a barrel in Lake Mead.News4Jax · 15 Oct, 16:10

In this story: Las Vegas · Lake Mead · George 'Jay' Vandermark · William Crespo · Johnny Pappas · Mob Museum · Stardust casino

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