Two sets of human remains found at Lake Mead might be from same person, officials say

Drought keeps revealing human remains under the largest reservoir in the country - and officials are starting to learn more about them.

At least four sets of human remains have been discovered in Nevada’s Lake Mead since May. Some of the remains could be connected, officials told news outlets.

“At this time, the investigation into these remains includes working to determine whether the two sets of remains are from the same person or not,” the Clark County Coroner’s Office told the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

The discoveries started May 1 when boaters found a crumbling barrel after hearing a woman scream from the side of the beach. They realized a body was inside.

At the time, officials told news outlets the remains were likely the first of many to be revealed as water levels continue to drop at the reservoir.

“I think anybody can understand there are probably more bodies that have been dumped in Lake Mead,” Las Vegas police Lt. Ray Spencer told KLAS in May. “It’s just a matter of, are we able to recover those?”

Days later, a second set of human remains were discovered by paddleboarders at Lake Mead’s Callville Bay.

Then, two sets of human remains were found weeks apart at Swim Beach.

Officials began investigating each set of human remains as they’ve been discovered. The coroner’s office told news outlets it’s possible human remains found Saturday, Aug. 6 and July 25 belonged to the same person, FOX 5 reported.

The process for identifying the remains, however, could take some time, KSNV reported.

Officials need to collect DNA samples, which could be impacted by the amount of time the remains were in Lake Mead.

They can then compare their findings with information available about people who have gone missing, according to the news outlet.

So far, the coroner’s office has determined that human remains found May 7 belonged to a man between the ages of 23 and 38, the Review-Journal reported. The person’s cause and manner of death is still under investigation.

Lake Mead is the country’s largest reservoir, according to the National Park Service. It was created by the construction of the Hoover Dam in the 1930s and includes more than 750 miles of shoreline.

The reservoir supplies water to more than 40 million people in seven states and Mexico, according to NASA. It provides water to people in some of the largest cities in the U.S., including San Diego, Las Vegas, Phoenix and Los Angeles.

In recent years, however, it’s been shrinking due to a 22-year megadrought.

This story was originally published August 10, 2022 at 11:29 AM with the headline "Two sets of human remains found at Lake Mead might be from same person, officials say."