NV NV - Multiple Sets of Human Remains Found in Lake Mead

[Puzzleworth]

Another person identified. Rest easy, Mr. Pensinger. Here's the state of identifications as of April 27, 2023 (now with archived links!):

1. c. July 21, 2021: South Cove Doe (no WS thread or Namus Entry, Mohave County Medical Examiner's Office press release available) A human femur was found on the Colorado River. Through a series of miscommunications, it was originally classified as animal by the Medical Examiner and believed to be destroyed per protocol. News station KLAS Las Vegas performed an investigation that found the MCMEO never actually took possession of the bone to destroy it; it was actually kept in storage by the NPS at Lake Mead. The MCMEO stated that they had been sent pictures of a different bone, which they sent to an unnamed forensic anthropologist, who told the office it was animal. (MCMEO appears to have its own problems beyond this) The bone was finally transferred to the Mohave County Medical Examiners Office for investigation c. September 29, 2022.
2. May 1, 2022: Hemenway Harbor Boat Ramp Doe, or "the body in the barrel" (WS link, Park Service press release, Namus #UP94847) The skeletal remains of an adult male were found in a barrel weighted with concrete. He had been shot to death. Clothing indicates the man had been killed around the early 1980s. Appear to currently be in custody of Clark County Office of the Coroner/Medical Examiner.
3. IDENTIFIED: May 7, 2022: Callville Bay Doe (WS link, Park Service press release for discovery, Park Service press release for identification) Full or nearly-full skeleton buried in sand. IDed as Mr. Thomas Erndt, age 42, of Las Vegas, NV. He had drowned August 2, 2002. His death was ruled an accident.
4. IDENTIFIED: July 25, August 6, and August 15, 2022: Boulder/Swim Beach Remains (Article on identification) A semi-preserved torso (Park Service press release available) was found floating in shallow water by a beachwalker "around 4:30 PM on July 25." It was limbless and covered in adipocere, indicating it had been underwater for a year or more. Long bones, skeletal, appearing to be at least one leg and one arm, were found August 6 (Park Service press release available) and on August 15 a separate Park Service press release announced the discovery of a third set of remains. IDed as Mr. Claude Russell Pensinger, age 52, of Las Vegas. He had disappeared in July 1998 while fishing. His cause of death was ruled undetermined.
5. IDENTIFIED: October 18, 2022: Callville Bay Doe #2 (No WS thread or Namus entry, article on discovery and article on identification) Skeleton retrieved the day after a private business diver, possibly from Earth Resource Group, found a bone in Callville Bay. IDed as Mr. Donald P. Smith, age 39, of North Las Vegas. He had drowned in April 1974. His death was ruled an accident.

 

[summergirl1]

It's interesting these remains have all turned out to be men who drowned, rather than murder victims, aside from the obvious murder victim in the barrel. Finding the remains of drowning victims who were all known to be drowning victims or presumed drowning victims is less headline getting I guess, but it is something that probably should have been considered more of a possibility.

 

[Ozoner]

It's interesting these remains have all turned out to be men who drowned, rather than murder victims, aside from the obvious murder victim in the barrel. Finding the remains of drowning victims who were all known to be drowning victims or presumed drowning victims is less headline getting I guess, but it is something that probably should have been considered more of a possibility.

Thomas Erndt and Donald P. Smith were both known to be drowning victims.

A drowning death seems likely in the case of Claude Pensinger, but it's impossible to be certain. For instance, he could have suffered a massive heart attack and fallen into the water. There's no reason to suspect foul play, but it can't be ruled out with absolute certainty.

 

[GatorFL]

Pretty interesting news clip about one of the men ID'ed.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — As Lake Mead’s water levels receded and human remains nearly 50 years gone surfaced, a half-century-old investigation has returned to the spotlight.

Donald Smith, 39, from North Las Vegas, vanished during a boat ride at Lake Mead near Calville Bay in April 1974.

Documents obtained by Nexstar’s 8newsnow.com show Smith had left his home at around 1 p.m. on the day of his disappearance. His wife said Smith had been drinking, but that he wasn’t drunk. She said he had taken his handgun with him and had loaded a shotgun into the cabin of his boat.

Documents obtained by the 8 News Now Investigators surface a centuries-old case. | Photo: KLAS

About two hours later, two of Smith’s longtime friends, floating 150 feet away from his boat, said they saw him fall back into the lake with his hands thrown up. About one minute later, they said they arrived at where Smith had dropped into the water and found one deck shoe floating on the surface.

After diving in to search for him, they said Smith was nowhere to be found.

They also were not able to find Smith’s weapons on the boat or in his vehicle.

Investigators questioned Smith’s friends, but investigators determined it wouldn’t have been possible for anyone to conceal the weapons since rangers were present at the location. Instead, investigators said it was likely that the guns were stolen from Smith’s vehicle, which had been left unlocked. That kind of theft was common in the area at that time.

Lake Mead discovery surfaces half-century-old investigation

As Lake Mead’s water levels receded and human remains nearly 50 years gone surfaced, a half-century-old investigation has returned to the spotlight.

ktla.com

 

[Hochman]

The first set of remains is now on NamUs.

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

#UP94847
Date Body Found May 1, 2022
ME/C Case Number 22-02725

Sex Male
Race/Ethnicity Other
Estimated Age Group Adult
Height Cannot Estimate
Weight Cannot Estimate

Location Boulder City, Nevada 89005
County Clark County

Circumstances of Recovery Found at Hemenway Harbor

Condition of Remains Not recognizable - Near complete or complete skeleton

Hair Color Unknown
Left Eye Color Unknown
Right Eye Color Unknown

Added November 22, 2023 (From link in quoted post)


Pictures of Clothing & Accessories

Spoiler: Shirt

Spoiler: Pants

Spoiler: Shoes

Spoiler: Watch

 

[summergirl1]

He was obviously a bigger guy whoever he was. I don't see any rule outs listed? Genetic genealogy apparently hasn't been tried or hasn't worked yet to find his ID.

 

[branmuffin]

Added November 22, 2023 (From link in quoted post)
View attachment 464471

Pictures of Clothing & Accessories

Spoiler: Shirt

View attachment 464473View attachment 464474

Spoiler: Pants

View attachment 464476

Spoiler: Shoes

View attachment 464478View attachment 464479View attachment 464480

Spoiler: Watch

View attachment 464481View attachment 464482

Hmmm, the watch, the shoes and the shirt were made in Korea. Can't tell with the pants. What are the odds that one person has 3 items of clothing all made in Korea? Traxx were sold in Kmart stores in the 1970s and 1980s here in Canada so I presume they were sold in the US too. I found an article dated 1985 talking about imposing economic sanctions on Korea for textiles, etc. Could these clothing items be from a
pre-1985 era? There's no information regarding the race of the deceased.

 

[Tired Professor]

Added November 22, 2023 (From link in quoted post)
View attachment 464471

Pictures of Clothing & Accessories

Spoiler: Shirt

View attachment 464473View attachment 464474

Spoiler: Pants

View attachment 464476

Spoiler: Shoes

View attachment 464478View attachment 464479View attachment 464480

Spoiler: Watch

View attachment 464481View attachment 464482

Per this article…
The victim’s clothes and shoes were sold at Kmart in the mid to late 1970’s.

Here’s what we know about all of the remains found at Lake Mead

Since May 2022, four sets of human remains have been located at Lake Mead. Here is what we know about those instances.

www.8newsnow.com

 

[summergirl1]

Lake Mead investigators optimistic about solving body in the barrel homicide case

Receding waters at Lake Mead have led to a series of recent discoveries on its shore, including a barrel found with a still-unidentified body inside.

abcnews-go-com.cdn.ampproject.org

 

[summergirl1]

Composite face released of man found in barrel at Lake Mead, ID still sought

Authorities have released composite images of the man whose body was found in a barrel that surfaced at Lake Mead last year in hopes of reaching a positive iden

katu.com

 

[imstilla.grandma]

https://www.facebook.com/kxnewsminot/posts/pfbid02pkq8buJZmVn45uvmjXTa7eWo1Hq84WVpSgxgMPTaMeueXGgoxRmFE7qrTSSqhezMl

 

[ProductiveOne]

I've submitted the following cases to NamUs.

I searched missing person cases in Nevada to match to the Boulder City, NV Unidentified found in Lake Mead. I narrowed my results down to men with a visual cleft in their chin. Next, I created a 3D model mesh of the unidentified using all three photos as references. I then took the 3D model mesh, and oriented it over each missing person's face. The face that best aligned was missing person Pavel Kocsis. Artistic discretion aside, the two men look similar.




Pavel Kocsis (NamUs #MP19580)
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
NV - NV - Pavel Kocsis, 29, Las Vegas, 17 Oct 1982

Boulder City, NV Unidentified (NamUs #UP94847)
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

 

[Puzzleworth]

https://www.8newsnow.com/investigat...er-barrel-murder-victim-remains-unidentified/

Two years and still no ID for TBITB. South Cove Doe is now listed in NAMUS under NamUs #UP98186.