IN PLAIN SIGHT

Body Found in Iowa Supermarket Identified as Man Who Went Missing 10 Years Ago

Investigators believe the man died after becoming trapped behind coolers.

A dead body that was discovered at a supermarket near Des Moines, Iowa, earlier this year has been identified as an employee who went missing 10 years ago. Authorities said Monday the body belonged to Larry Ely Murillo-Moncada, who was 25 years old when he went missing in November 2009. Murillo-Moncada’s body was discovered behind coolers by contractors on January 24. Former employees at the supermarket said it was common for workers to be in the space on top of the coolers, according to police. Investigators believe Murillo-Moncada climbed on top of the coolers, then fell into an 18-inch gap between the back of the cooler and the wall and became trapped. An autopsy revealed no signs of trauma to Murillo-Moncada, and the death has been ruled accidental.