Lake Mead Human Remains Found in October Identified

The human remains of a Nevada man who drowned nearly five decades ago have been identified after a diver discovered what looked to be a human skeleton near shore in the western fork of Lake Mead five months ago.

The bones were identified as Donald Smith, a former North Las Vegas resident, by the Clark County coroner's office, according to CBS News.

Smith, 39 at the time of his death in April 1974, was said to have drowned in the reservoir, according to an official press release.

The coroner used DNA testing and witness statements to positively identify the body and rule drowning as the man's formal cause of death.

The official statement listed the manner of his demise as an accident.

A concession dive operator found Smith's bones on October 17, 2022.

The National Park Service released a statement at the time saying that a diver had discovered what appeared to be a human bone while diving in Callville Bay, a popular tourist spot on the Las Vegas side of Lake Mead with a campground, a marina where visitors can rent boats.

The Recent Skeleton Was the Sixth Human Remains Found in Lake Mead

Due to the widespread drought in the West, water levels in Lake Mead are at record lows, and the lake's shoreline is quickly receding.

This discovery of human remains is at least the sixth in the reservoir in the past year, USA TODAY reported.

While the lake recedes because of the drought, coroner's investigators are still working to identify additional remains discovered last year, according to county spokeswoman Stacey Welling.

Clark County authorities confirmed that the remains found in the Callville Bay area on May 7, 2022, belonged to 42-year-old Thomas Erndt.

While out on the lake with friends, Erndt went for a swim at night, and his family claims he drowned.

Human Remains with Gunshot Was Also Found in Lake Mead

A man's body was also discovered in a container at Hemenway Harbor in May 2022. He had been shot and killed, according to authorities.

"We believe this is a homicide due to a gunshot wound," Las Vegas homicide Lt. Ray Spencer said in a statement at the time.

Boaters discovered the barrel on shore at Lake Mead National Recreation Area, leading authorities to think the victim was a man murdered between 1975 and 1980, said Fox News.

Those who found the barrel reported it to law enforcement after it was discovered to have been uncovered due to drought conditions.

Meanwhile, investigators were severely constrained without victim identification, told Lt. Jason Johansson of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police homicide squad last year on CNN, adding that the likelihood of discovering witnesses and possible suspects diminished as time passes.

"If you think about the age of your witnesses or anybody related to this case, many of them are getting older every day. And they're at an age where you have to worry, are they even alive? And so I would say that's probably our biggest concern right now," Johansson said.

Las Vegas witnessed one of its driest years last year due to the unprecedented drought that engulfed the American West. Despite being the biggest reservoir in the United States and providing water to over 25 million people, Lake Mead was only 26% full.

The drastic drop in lake level was evidenced by a massive "bathtub ring" that encircled the lake's perimeter, The Guardian said.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

WATCH: Set of skeletal remains found at Lake Mead identified - From FOX5 Las Vegas