CA CA - Los Angeles, HispMale, 14-20, UP4371, Drowned in swimming pool, "Michael", 30 July 1980

[Moonwalker9]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Recognizable face - no photo, however a composite below from doenetwork.

3327UMCA

3327UMCA - Unidentified Male

Composite of the decedent.

Date of Discovery: July 30, 1980
Location of Discovery: Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California
Estimated Date of Death: Less than 24 hours
State of Remains: Recognizable face
Cause of Death: Unknown

Physical Description
Estimated Age: 14-20
Race: Hispanic
Sex: Male
Height: 5'4"
Weight: 137 lbs.
Hair: Black
Eye Color: Brown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: One inch scar on his forehead above his right eye and a one inch scar near his elbow on his right arm. His upper front tooth had an open face gold crown.

Identifiers
Dentals: Available
Fingerprints: Available
DNA: Unavailable

Clothing & Personal Items
Clothing: A "Golden Touch" size 16 multi-colored shirt , blue slacks, white socks, Jockey type shorts, size 38-40 waist and blue and gold size 7 tennis shoes.
Jewelry: No jewelry.
Additional Personal Items: $3.37, five keys on two rings, two combs, ten firecrackers and “Zig Zag” brand cigarette papers.

Circumstances of Discovery
On July 30, 1980 at approximately 6:00 a.m., the body of an unidentified Hispanic male was found submerged in a public swimming pool, located at 127 South Gless Street in Pecan Park in Los Angeles, California. It is believed he had been deceased for less than 24 hours prior to discovery. Another person was standing outside of the pool and told authorities that the decedent went into the pool and never resurfaced. Per the friend, the decedent's first name may have been Michael and he may have lived in Compton, California.

Investigating Agency(s)
Agency Name: Los Angeles County Coroner's Office
Agency Contact Person: Coroner Investigator Betsy Magdaleno
Agency Phone Number: 323-343-0512
Agency E-Mail: [email protected]
Agency Case Number: 1980-09724

NCIC Case Number: U031760504
NamUs Case Number: 4371

Information Source(s)
NamUs
Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner
NCMEC

STREET VIEW

Google Maps

 

[R. Towle]

If this boy had keys in his pocket I'd hazard a guess that he wasn't homeless. Was anymore information released regarding the "friend" and what they said?

 

[Grungster]

Composite of the decedent.

Date of Discovery: July 30, 1980
Location of Discovery: Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California
Estimated Date of Death: Less than 24 hours
State of Remains: Recognizable face
Cause of Death: Unknown

Physical Description
Estimated Age: 14-20
Race: Hispanic
Sex: Male
Height: 5'4"
Weight: 137 lbs.
Hair: Black
Eye Color: Brown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: One inch scar on his forehead above his right eye and a one inch scar near his elbow on his right arm. His upper front tooth had an open face gold crown.

Identifiers
Dentals: Available
Fingerprints: Available
DNA: Unavailable

Clothing & Personal Items
Clothing: A "Golden Touch" size 16 multi-colored shirt , blue slacks, white socks, Jockey type shorts, size 38-40 waist and blue and gold size 7 tennis shoes.
Jewelry: No jewelry.
Additional Personal Items: $3.37, five keys on two rings, two combs, ten firecrackers and “Zig Zag” brand cigarette papers.

Circumstances of Discovery
On July 30, 1980 at approximately 6:00 a.m., the body of an unidentified Hispanic male was found submerged in a public swimming pool, located at 127 South Gless Street in Pecan Park in Los Angeles, California. It is believed he had been deceased for less than 24 hours prior to discovery. Another person was standing outside of the pool and told authorities that the decedent went into the pool and never resurfaced. Per the friend, the decedent's first name may have been Michael and he may have lived in Compton, California.

Investigating Agency(s)
Agency Name: Los Angeles County Coroner's Office
Agency Contact Person: Coroner Investigator Betsy Magdaleno
Agency Phone Number: 323-343-0512
Agency E-Mail: [email protected]
Agency Case Number: 1980-09724

NCIC Case Number: U031760504
NamUs Case Number: 4371

Information Source(s)
NamUs
Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner
NCMEC

Admin Notes
Added: 12/15/2019 Last Updated: 12/15/2019

 

[Grungster]

NOTE: How in the world does a teen go into a pool wearing clothes not fit for swimming, his friend not to notice, and go undiscovered for almost a day?!

 

[ChatteringBirds]

This poor teenager, all of these years unidentified? What could have happened here? Bumping up.

 

[annpats]

What, he just went into the pool and died? No splashing about and shouting for help? So maybe did he die instantly, say, of a cardiac problem?
But the autopsy revealed nothing?
And the "friend".....who said the deceased MAY have been called Michael. Surely he would have known his friend's name???

Just whsaaaat?

LE dropped the ball on this one.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

What, he just went into the pool and died? No splashing about and shouting for help? So maybe did he die instantly, say, of a cardiac problem?
But the autopsy revealed nothing?
And the "friend".....who said the deceased MAY have been called Michael. Surely he would have known his friend's name???

Just whsaaaat?

LE dropped the ball on this one.

Drowning is often silent, no splashing or noise, but I wonder why he went swimming fully-clothed. Where did you read about autopsy results?

Too bad we can't just ask LE questions.
Was the pool closed at the time? How did they access it?

What kind of keys (house, mailbox, bike lock, car?) No clues from the keys?

How did the friend know him?

What kind of outreach to the public was done at the time? Were there any leads?

 

[Susikatze]

He certainly did not go swimming at 6 a.m. fully clothed with shoes and socks on.
Was he intoxicated or on drugs? And what about the "friend"? He stood there but did not know when his "friend" drowned?
All very fishy.

 

[Bit of hope]

Strange story....

This are picture of the Pecan Pool in the 60's and today. It is a summer pool. John Doe died in July. Maybe he (they?) climbed over the fence during the night, if there were any in the 80's. Sneaked in during the night and he accidentally fell in or was pushed in as a kind of joking around, explaining the fully clothed situation.

The pool is situated on 120 S. Gless Street instead of 127 btw.

 

[snowgoose]

And the "friend".....who said the deceased MAY have been called Michael. Surely he would have known his friend's name???

Just whsaaaat?

It means he knew his friend as Michael but didn't know his last name. The police weren't able to confirm his name so all they can say is that his name "may have been Michael".

 

[Bit of hope]

I'm kind of worried about the inconsistencies about the date of recovery. In the coroners file it is stated that a. He was found August 30, but also b. he was found "On 7/20/1980 at approx. 0600 hours the decedent was found submerged in a public swimming pool located at 127 S. Gless St. (Pecan Park)"

Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner

Where the Doe network and Namus say found on July, 30, 1980.

 

[Bit of hope]

Can somebody check the rule outs? Are there any?

 

[annpats]

It means he knew his friend as Michael but didn't know his last name.

So, not much of a friend if he only knew his first name and nothing else about him!

This friend needed to be questioned more. How did he know Michael, where did he meet him? What were the doing at the pool and what time did they get there...?

Another LE ball fumble....and drop.

 

[Bit of hope]

I think it's more like an acquaintance....somebody he met in a bar, partied with....I wouldn't focus that much on the name Michael. Firecrackers seem to be a very "Mexican thing", maybe there was something to celebrate.

 

[annpats]

I think it's more like an acquaintance....somebody he met in a bar, partied with....I wouldn't focus that much on the name Michael. Firecrackers seem to be a very "Mexican thing", maybe there was something to celebrate.

There can't be too many Hispanics who are called Michael. It'd be Miguel, surely.
Maybe LE didn't show much interest as they presumed it was a Mexican drug death.
The autopsy report doesn't seem to be made available. Surely one would have been done?!
That would have revealed some information....toxicology, broken bones, approach. time of death and probably cause of death.

 

[Grungster]

Yesterday, I emailed the coroner to let them know this dude's reconstruction and possible name information was not in NamUs. Today, it is, and there is also a morgue image available.

I'll let you see for yourself because I don't really want to link the image here, but I can't help but notice the strange stuff on Michael's face. Maybe it's from being in the water a long time?

 

[StarrChance]

Can somebody check the rule outs? Are there any?

No comparisons at all.

 

[TristanP]

There can't be too many Hispanics who are called Michael. It'd be Miguel, surely.
Maybe LE didn't show much interest as they presumed it was a Mexican drug death.
The autopsy report doesn't seem to be made available. Surely one would have been done?!
That would have revealed some information....toxicology, broken bones, approach. time of death and probably cause of death.

The name thing could be that his given name was Miguel but he preferred the Americanized version of Michael? Perhaps he was illegally here which is part of the reason why there is no “missing” info. His family may have still been in Mexico, or if they were in the US, maybe were afraid to report anything for fear of deportation.

 

[Bit of hope]

Yesterday, I emailed the coroner to let them know this dude's reconstruction and possible name information was not in NamUs. Today, it is, and there is also a morgue image available.

I'll let you see for yourself because I don't really want to link the image here, but I can't help but notice the strange stuff on Michael's face. Maybe it's from being in the water a long time?

Did you also happen to discuss the inconsistencies in dates found?

 

[Bit of hope]

Yesterday, I emailed the coroner to let them know this dude's reconstruction and possible name information was not in NamUs. Today, it is, and there is also a morgue image available.

I'll let you see for yourself because I don't really want to link the image here, but I can't help but notice the strange stuff on Michael's face. Maybe it's from being in the water a long time?

About the skin. Could it be skin maceration? Skin maceration is a term used to describe the over saturation of the skin due to prolonged exposure to moisture c.q. being a long time in the water. Like your palms start to change when you have been swimming long or soaking in a bath for a long time.

While searching I came across this writing about mechanism of death around drowning and autopsy findings, that you might find interesting. https://jcp.bmj.com/content/jclinpath/45/8/654.full.pdf At least I did.