The 42-year-old from Las Vegas reportedly drowned on Aug. 2, 2002, authorities said, although the official cause and manner of death were unclear Wednesday. Erndt’s remains are one of at least three sets of human remains discovered since May in the lake, where water levels have plummeted to record lows as the drought crisis continues in the West. Other remains found in the lake include a body found in a corroded barrel with a gunshot wound, officials previously said. The case is being investigated as a homicide. The remains, named the Hemenway Harbor Doe by the medical examiner’s office, belonged to someone who died in her mid-70s to early 80s, according to police. Most recently, authorities discovered some human remains at Lake Mead’s Boulder Swim Beach in mid-August. National Park Service rangers responded and worked with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department dive team to set up a perimeter to recover the remains, the park service said in a news release. The Clark County Coroner is investigating. CNN’s Elizabeth Wolfe and Kaylene Chassie contributed to this report.
