The decades-old murder came to light in May 2022 when boaters spotted a barrel near Hemenway Harbor at Lake Mead National Recreation Area, where drought had exposed parts of the lakebed. An initial autopsy determined the man had been killed by a single gunshot to the head, and investigators estimated the death occurred between the mid-1970s and early 1980s, based partly on his clothing: a button-down short-sleeve shirt, light blue jeans, a silver wristwatch and blue-and-white tennis shoes.
For years, authorities released composite renderings and searched DNA databases, uploading his description into a national missing persons system and sending bone samples for genealogical analysis. A breakthrough came this year when a forensics team at Oklahoma State University, working with investigators, produced a strong lead.
With a DNA sample from Jackson and a believed family member, "we were able to confirm that the remains were, in fact, Mr. Jackson," Rouse said at a press conference, where a grainy picture of a smiling, bearded man holding a baby was displayed.
Las Vegas Metropolitan police Lieutenant Robert Price said detectives have found nothing tying Jackson to the Las Vegas area. His family last saw him in the early 1980s, and records show he briefly lived in California with his wife and was later charged with aggravated arson and conspiracy fraud in Utah.
The case had sparked speculation about possible ties to organized crime, reflecting Las Vegas's history with mob activity during the era when Jackson is believed to have been killed. But Price dismissed that theory. "There has been speculation in the past that the homicide had ties to an organized criminal group. At this point of our investigation, we don't have any information to support those theories," he said.
With the identification established, the investigation into Jackson's murder can now proceed.