On a chilling Tuesday morning, around 11 am on Halloween, a harrowing discovery unfolded at Lake Merritt. The diligent cleaning crew, the owner of Kevin Shomo, stumbled upon a sizable suitcase floating in the water. He said, “we grabbed one end, and we realized it was too heavy. So we pulled it close enough to us, and we said, ‘Oh wow, this thing is heavy.” Initially dismissing it as a human dummy, Shomo and his team were stunned to find a lifeless body concealed within the mysterious suitcase. Shomo provided chilling details, noting that the victim appeared to be a man in his 30s, contorted into a fetal position within the confinements of the suitcase.
In the aftermath of this gruesome discovery, the Oakland Police homicide investigators and Alameda County coroner’s investigators descended upon the scene. Oakland Police Captain Alan Yu, grappling with the perplexing circumstances, explained that it isn’t yet known when, where, or how the ominous suitcase ended up in the water. The unsettling question lingers as to whether the victim corresponds to any individuals reported missing or whether the victim aligns with any existing missing persons report. The air thickens with suspense, and the investigation unfolds, seeking to unravel the chilling mystery gripping Lake Merritt.
The unsettling discovery at Lake Merritt has sent shockwaves through the local community, leaving residents in alarm and disbelief. Angela Massella, a resident, expressed her shock, stating, “I saw something, a little piece like this, but not the whole suitcase,” recounting her fear upon noticing part of the suitcase protruding in the water as early as 8 am. Another resident, Gerlen Polk, said, “Sad, just sad.” Her everyday routine of going on a walkout has been disrupted, and she found herself unexpectedly confronted with the grim reality as her husband informed her about the body in the lake.
In response to the incident, Oakland Police are asking anyone with surveillance videos or information of any suspicious activity about the body to give them a call. As the community seeks answers and closures, the investigation remains ongoing, with law enforcement relying on the collaboration and vigilance of residents to shed light on this mysterious and tragic event.