Photo: Moment RF
A park maintenance worker spotted a barrel floating near the shore of Malibu Lagoon State Beach on Sunday, and attempted to retrieve it from the ocean. According to Fox News, the worker was unsuccessful because the barrel was too heavy to lift out of the water. So, the object floated around for at least another twelve hours until it was spotted again. The following day, a lifeguard working on the beach swam to the barrel and attempted to drag it ashore, only to be entirely startled by its disturbing contents.
Inside the 55-gallon drum was a deceased human body (quite possibly the last thing the lifeguard expected to see). Police were called to the scene to investigate the findings, and Los Angeles County Sheriff's Lieutenant Hugo Reynaga speculated upon just how long the body had been inside of the barrel.
"From what I did see, it didn’t look to me like it was decomposed or had been there a long time." Fox News mentioned that the body has since been identified as aspiring Los Angeles recording artist Javonnta Murphy. Information regarding a cause of death has yet to be revealed as authorities continue to investigate. An exact date of death was not shared.
Murphy was 32-years-old.