BREAKING: The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the discovery of a body inside a 55-gallon drum in Malibu Lagoon Monday morning. The LA County coroner just arrived as of 1:50 p.m. this is a developing story. pic.twitter.com/3Jwc485Roh
— The Malibu Times (@TheMalibuTimes) July 31, 2023
A body was found inside of a 55-gallon drum at Malibu Lagoon State Beach Monday morning, according to KTLA.
The barrel was first spotted Sunday night, when a park worker noticed it floating by the Pacific Coast Highway bridge, a spokesperson for the L.A. County Fire Department told KTLA. When lifeguards arrived at work Monday morning, they saw the drum in the lagoon and attempted to pull it out. It was at that point that they discovered the body inside.
The Los Angeles County sheriff’s department was called and paramedics pronounced the unidentified person dead at the scene. No further details about the body have been released, but CBS news reports a homicide investigation is underway.
While the area immediately surrounding the drum was cordoned off, the beach was left open to surfers and swimmers, who remained in the water throughout.
We’ll have more on this story as it develops.
Update: The coroner’s office on Wednesday identified the man as 32-year-old Jovannta Murphy.