Naked body found stuffed inside barrel floating around in California lagoon, cops say
UPDATE: The body of a man found dead inside a barrel in a California lagoon has been identified, according to media reports.
The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner identified the body as Javonnta Murphy, 32, NBC Los Angeles reported.
The original story is below.
A man’s body was found inside a floating barrel in a California lagoon, according to a sheriff’s department.
After spotting the 55-gallon plastic barrel drum on Monday, July 31, a Malibu Beach lifeguard brought it to shore, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said in a news release.
The lifeguard opened the container and found the body of a naked man inside, deputies said.
The barrel was initially spotted by a state park maintenance worker on Sunday, July 30, Lt. Hugo Reynaga with the sheriff’s department told CNN. Using a kayak, they brought the container to shore but did not open it.
Overnight, high tides then carried the barrel back into the water, Reynaga told the outlet.
Reynaga told KTLA 5 News that the body doesn’t appear decomposed or to have been in the barrel for very long.
A former Malibu mayor, Jefferson Wagner, told The Los Angeles Times he was “deeply disturbed” by the barrel’s discovery.
“This is not what happens in Malibu,” Wagner told the newspaper. “This is not a common occurrence. I mean, bodies in a barrel is just sad.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact deputies at 323-890-5500.
This story was originally published August 1, 2023 at 1:26 PM with the headline "Naked body found stuffed inside barrel floating around in California lagoon, cops say."
