A 42-year-old Las Vegas man’s corpse that was discovered in Lake Mead three months ago was identified.
The Clark County Coroner reported that on August 2, 2002, Thomas Erndt perished in Lake Mead.
His bones were one of five sets of corpses discovered there since May 1 in Callville Bay, which is on the northwest side of Lake Mead, the country’s biggest reservoir.
As the water level has dropped through record lows, a lot of corpses have started turning up in the lake, which is supposed to be a “mob-hit dumping place” because some of the dead were discovered with gunshot wounds resembling mob-style.
According to County spokesman Dan Kulin, they were able to identify Erndt using “investigative information, DNA analysis, and reports from the initial event.”
According to Kulin, “the reason and method of Mr. Erndt’s death are unknown,” but it’s likely the Nevadan drowned.
The Clark County Coroner reported that on August 2, 2002, Thomas Erndt drowned in Lake Mead.
His bones were discovered near Callville Bay, which lies on Lake Mead’s northwest shore, the country’s biggest reservoir. Through “investigative information, DNA analysis, and reports from the initial event,” they were able to identify Erndt.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal claimed on August 8, 2002, that Erndt had fallen from a boat and vanished.
The father-of-two was apparently from Cincinnati before moving to Vegas, according to The Cincinnati Enquirer, which reported his death at the time.
His sister-in-law Tina Tolocko eulogized him on a public obituary website, writing, “I think about you so much since you always looked out for me and I was always welcome in your house.” You painted my vehicle, picked me up when I got lost 150 miles away, treated me like a sister, and you gave me such good belly laughs.
When authorities found Erndt’s corpse in the lake, they took this image.
“You cared deeply for your children and family. A lovely person that I had the good fortune to know. Then forever and ever.”
Beginning in May, the bones and other pieces started to show up, starting with a male corpse in a barrel. A murder inquiry has been launched since the victim had been shot in the head. The individual was allegedly murdered in the 1970s or 1980s.
Erndt was located on May 7.
At Swim Beach, a third set of bones was discovered on July 26. A fourth set of remains was discovered there on August 6.
Midway through August, a fifth set of bones—the third to be discovered there—were discovered at Swim Beach; the corner suggested, however, that the two sets could belong to the same individual.
In July, the lake’s capacity reached 27%, prompting water restrictions for Nevada, Arizona, and Mexico.
Because of the 23-year drought that federal authorities say has reached a crisis level, Lake Mead has been suffering from low water levels, barely filling to 27 percent capacity in July.
Tier-2a operating level was assigned to the lake, resulting in tighter water restrictions in Mexico, Arizona, and Nevada.