A body was discovered behind shelving units in a store, identified as a worker who had been missing for a decade, with lingering questions about the circumstances of his disappearance.
Larry Ely Murillo-Moncada’s family reported him missing on November 28, 2009, after he left their home abruptly.
His parents noted that Larry seemed troubled, but the reasons behind this behavior remain unclear.
According to former Council Bluffs Police Captain Todd Weddum, Larry’s parents described his actions as irrational.
His demeanor might have been influenced by his medication, potentially leading to his sudden departure. However, after that day, he vanished without a trace.
During their search for him, authorities reached out to relatives, other law enforcement bodies, detention facilities, and the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Despite these efforts, Larry’s whereabouts remained elusive, leaving his family without closure until January 2019.
While dismantling shelves and coolers at the former No Frills Supermarket in Council Bluffs, Iowa, workers stumbled upon a body.
At the time of his disappearance, Murillo-Moncada worked at No Frills Supermarket. Investigators think he might have gone there after leaving home, climbed up into the space above the coolers, and accidentally become stuck in the narrow 18-inch space between the cooler and wall.
Weddum suggested that the loud noise from the coolers’ compressors may have masked any cries for help Murillo-Moncada might have made, rendering him unable to free himself.
The No Frills Supermarket ceased operations in 2016.
Identification of Larry’s body was confirmed through DNA from his parents and his clothing matched what he was wearing when he vanished.
Sgt. Brandon Danielson from the Council Bluffs Police Department mentioned: “The mother had an idea that he has never left ‘No Frills’. I don’t know how she came up with that idea, but [his parents] were pretty upset.”
According to KETV, he further commented: “You don’t hear about these types of cases, people found in walls. Especially in this area. so that would be the odd part of about. We have missing person cases all the time, but this is just unique.”
An autopsy revealed no trauma, leading to the conclusion that Larry’s death was an accident.