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Arkansas Man Identified as Lake Mead Barrel Murder Victim
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Lake Mead Barrel Murder Victim Identified
Police announced that the body discovered in a corroded barrel at Lake Mead’s Hemenway Harbor on May 1 2022 has been positively identified as Edward “Buddy” Lelburian Jackson, an Arkansas native who was likely in his mid-to-late 50s at the time of death. Jackson suffered a single gunshot wound to the head; the bullet has not been recovered. He had previously lived in California and Utah and was arrested in Salt Lake City on an aggravated-arson charge in the early 1980s. No evidence links his death to organized crime or to the Las Vegas area, and he was never reported missing.
Investigation Timeline
- May 1 2022 – Boaters find a body concealed in a barrel near Hemenway Harbor.
- 2023 – The FBI creates three composite sketches of the victim and releases them to the public.
- Early 2024 – A bone sample is sent to DNA International for genealogy profiling; a tentative family match is found but deemed insufficient.
- 2024–2025 – The Clark County Coroner’s office engages the School of Forensic Sciences at Oklahoma State University (OSU) for advanced DNA work. An additional sample is submitted in late 2025.
- Early 2026 – OSU obtains a strong DNA lead, confirming the victim as Edward “Buddy” Lelburian Jackson. The Clark County Coroner’s office, led by Melanie Rouse, issues the identification.
Official Statements & Responses
LVMPD homicide detective Robert Price said investigators have found no ties between Jackson and any known criminal organization and that “at this point in our investigation, we don’t have information to support those theories.” He also emphasized that the case remains open and that any tips should be directed to the LVMPD Homicide Section or CrimeStoppers. Clark County Coroner Melanie Rouse confirmed the DNA match and reiterated that the identification represents a “piece of the puzzle” in an otherwise unsolved homicide.
Verbatim Quotes
- “At this point in our investigation, we don't have information to support those theories,” — Police Department. Robert Price
- “It’s an unsolved case. It will never be closed until we solve it,” — Police Department. Robert Price
Impact and Next Steps
While the identification resolves the long-standing mystery of the victim’s identity, authorities stress that the murder itself is still unsolved. Detectives continue to seek information from the public, urging anyone with knowledge of Jackson’s movements in the early 1980s to contact law enforcement. The investigation remains active, with no announced deadline for further breakthroughs.