A decade-long missing person mystery ended in a tragic and unexpected way with the discovery of Larry Ely Murillo-Moncada’s remains—behind the shelves of the very supermarket where he once worked.
The Disappearance
Murillo-Moncada, 25, was reported missing by his parents on November 28, 2009. On the day he vanished, he had been experiencing erratic behavior, possibly due to medication he was taking. He ran out of his home during a storm and was never seen again.
No Leads for Years
His disappearance puzzled both police and family. Despite extensive searches and efforts by law enforcement, no trace of him was ever found. His parents were left in agonizing limbo, not knowing what had become of their son.
A Startling Discovery
In January 2019, ten years after he vanished, the case took a grim turn. Workers dismantling storage units at the now-closed No Frills Supermarket in Council Bluffs, Iowa, made a shocking discovery—human remains behind a cooler.
The 18-Inch Gap
Investigators concluded that Murillo-Moncada had likely climbed on top of the coolers, as employees sometimes did, and accidentally fallen into an 18-inch gap between the unit and the wall. The tight space, combined with the constant noise of the running compressors, likely prevented anyone from hearing his cries for help.
DNA Confirms Identity
The remains were identified as Murillo-Moncada through DNA samples from his parents. He was still wearing the same clothes he had on when he went missing.
A Mother’s Intuition
In a haunting twist, Murillo-Moncada’s mother had long believed that her son never left the supermarket. Her intuition was tragically confirmed a decade later.
Ruled an Accident
Investigators found no signs of trauma or foul play. The death was officially ruled an accident, the result of a tragic fall and prolonged concealment in a hidden space.
A Case That Shocked
Even seasoned investigators were stunned. The idea that someone could disappear in such a familiar place and go undiscovered for years is almost unimaginable.
Closure at Last
While the ending was heartbreaking, the discovery finally gave Murillo-Moncada’s family a measure of closure after ten painful years of uncertainty.
