Missing for a Decade—Store worker found trapped behind shelves

In a shocking development, the mystery of Larry Ely Murillo-Moncada’s disappearance has been solved in an unexpected manner. Murillo-Moncada, who went missing in 2009, was discovered dead behind shelves in his old workplace, a supermarket in Iowa.

Larry Ely Murillo-Moncada, 25, disappeared on November 28, 2009, after leaving home in a distressed state. His parents reported that he had been behaving erratically, possibly due to his medication.

Despite thorough searches by law enforcement, Murillo-Moncada was never found, leaving his family without answers for nearly a decade.

In January 2019, workers at the former No Frills Supermarket in Council Bluffs, Iowa, were dismantling shelves and coolers when they made a startling find. They discovered the body of a former employee trapped behind a stack of shelves.

Investigators identified the body as Larry Ely Murillo-Moncada. It’s believed that he climbed onto the coolers, a routine practice for employees, and fell into an 18-inch gap between a cooler and the wall, becoming stuck. The noise from the coolers’ compressors likely drowned out any cries for help, leaving him trapped with no way to escape.

Murillo-Moncada’s identity was confirmed through his parents’ DNA, and the clothes he wore matched those he had on when he disappeared. His mother had suspected he never left the supermarket, a theory tragically confirmed by the discovery.

The discovery of Murillo-Moncada’s body nearly a decade after his disappearance is highly unusual. An autopsy revealed no signs of trauma, leading authorities to conclude that his death was accidental.