As the waters on Lake Mead continue to recede, more human remains have been found by authorities, marking the fourth time they have been found at the National Recreation Area since May.
Park rangers were called on Saturday morning after skeletal remains were found near the Swim Beach area, according to a statement from the National Park Service.
After arriving, Rangers were then assisted by divers from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department to recover the remains. After they were recovered, a coroner was called to determine the cause of death.
Three different sets were found at the lake before the discovery on Saturday. The previous remains, including one body in a corroding barrel with a gunshot wound, were in the advanced stages of decomposition, officials shared.
Part of the reason for the discovery is due to the plunging water levels that have hit unprecedented lows while the West continues to suffer from water shortages.
It’s currently unknown how long the remains discovered on Saturday were in the lake. Still, an investigation has been launched by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, Lt. Jason Johansson told CNN.
The first two sets of remains were found on May 1 and May 7, with the first findings launching a homicide investigation due to the nature of the discovery — the body being found in a barrel with a gunshot wound.
The third set of remains was found on July 25, near the same place the remains on Saturday were found.
The lake is on the border of both Nevada and Arizona, and recent discoveries have garnered many theories about mob involvement in the area.
However, Johansson shared that those ideas are just “speculation” at this point in the investigation.
The lake, which is the largest manufactured reservoir in the country, was at only 27% of its maximum capacity as of July 18, 2022, NASA reported. Currently, water levels are the lowest they have been since the reservoir was filled in the 1930s.
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