Unveiling the Mystery: Revealing the Cause of Death of the Man Found in a Barrel in Malibu

The man's identity has been revealed by the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office.

He has been identified as Javonnta Marshann Murphy, a 32-year-old individual.

However, the cause of his death was not initially determined. According to a report from The Los Angeles Times, the coroner's office has now confirmed that Murphy was shot in the head.

The investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death, as well as how he ended up inside a barrel, is still ongoing by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office. The discovery of the 208-liter black plastic drum floating in Lake Malibu was made on July 30.

A maintenance worker retrieved the barrel in a kayak, but it was not opened immediately. It was only on July 31, at Malibu Lagoon State Beach, that a lifeguard opened the barrel and discovered the body inside.

The lifeguard had returned to the lagoon without having any knowledge of how long the body had been inside the barrel. Patrick Nelson, a friend of Murphy's family, shared with The Los Angeles Times that Murphy grew up in South Los Angeles with four brothers and had aspirations of becoming a rapper.