A man whose remains were found inside a barrel at Lake Mead in 2022 has been identified as an Arkansas man who disappeared from his family’s life more than 40 years ago.
The Clark County coroner’s office identified the victim on Wednesday as Edward “Buddy” Lelburian Jackson, who was believed to be in his mid-to-late 50s when he died. His remains were discovered by boaters near Hemenway Harbor on May 1, 2022.
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department detectives spoke with Jackson’s relatives after identifying him. His family told investigators he was from Arkansas and traveled to different parts of the country. He was last seen visiting relatives in Arkansas in the early 1980s.
Investigators found no known connection between Jackson and the Las Vegas area. Records showed he had lived in California with his wife in the early 1970s and later had a brief criminal history in Utah in the early 1980s. Police said he was married for a short time and had no known children.
The case began when boaters discovered a barrel containing a man’s remains near Hemenway Harbor. Investigators determined the man had been murdered and suffered a gunshot wound to the head.
The clothing found with the remains appeared consistent with styles from the late 1970s and early 1980s, leading detectives to believe the killing may have occurred decades before the discovery.
For years, investigators struggled to identify the victim. In 2022, the coroner’s office enlisted the FBI’s help to create composite images of his face. Those images were released publicly in 2023 in an effort to generate leads.
In 2024, a bone sample was sent for genetic genealogy testing, but the initial results did not provide a sufficiently strong match. The case was later taken up by the School of Forensic Sciences at Oklahoma State University, which received another sample in late 2025.
By early 2026, researchers had developed a strong lead. A DNA sample was then obtained from a person believed to be a relative, and testing produced a compelling match to Jackson. The coroner’s office subsequently confirmed his identity.
Despite the identification, the killing remains unsolved. Police have not established a motive or found evidence connecting Jackson’s death to organized crime.
Investigators are asking anyone with information about Jackson or his death to contact the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Section at 702-828-3521.