In a chilling turn of events, the decade-long mystery surrounding a missing person was solved in the most unexpected way. Larry Ely Murillo-Moncada, a young man who vanished in 2009, was found deceased behind shelves in his former workplace, a supermarket in Iowa.
The Disappearance of Larry Ely Murillo-Moncada
Larry Ely Murillo-Moncada, aged 25, was reported missing by his parents on November 28, 2009, after he ran away from home in an agitated state. His parents revealed that he had been acting irrationally, possibly due to medication he was taking. Despite extensive searches involving various law enforcement agencies, Murillo-Moncada remained missing, leaving his family with no answers.
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The Unexpected Discovery
In January 2019, a team of workers at the former No Frills Supermarket in Council Bluffs, Iowa, were removing shelves and coolers when they made a shocking discovery. The body of a former employee was found trapped behind a stack of shelves.
Behind the Cooler: A Tragic Accident
It was later revealed that the body belonged to Larry Ely Murillo-Moncada. Investigators believe that he had climbed on top of the coolers, a common practice among employees during their shifts. However, he fell into an 18-inch gap between a cooler and the wall, becoming trapped. The noise from the coolers’ compressors likely muffled any cries for help, leaving him with no way out.
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Identification and Closure
Murillo-Moncada’s body was identified using his parents’ DNA, and the clothes he was wearing matched those from the time of his disappearance. His mother had a hunch that he never left the supermarket, a suspicion sadly confirmed by the discovery.
A Unique Case
The discovery of Murillo-Moncada’s body behind the shelves nearly a decade after his disappearance was a unique and unusual case for the authorities. An autopsy revealed no signs of trauma, leading to the conclusion that his death was accidental.