Musician and Rapper From Sylmar Identified By Coroner
By Dolores Quintana
The body of a deceased man discovered inside a sealed barrel at Malibu Lagoon State Beach has been identified as Javonnta Murphy, a 32-year-old singer-songwriter and rap artist from Sylmar, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Murphy’s body was found naked inside the barrel, but the cause of his death has not yet been released to the public. The timeline of how long he had been inside the barrel remains unclear.
Murphy’s social media presence described his career as a singer/songwriter, and the music posted on his Instagram and Youtube channel was in the hip-hop genre. Murphy rapped in the songs. The discovery of the barrel at the beach was brought to attention by former Malibu Mayor Jefferson Wagner, who initially had seen the barrel in the lagoon and mistaken it for a toxic waste container.
“This is not what happens in Malibu,” Wagner expressed to the Times. “This is not a common occurrence. I mean, bodies in a barrel is just sad.”
As authorities investigate this tragic incident, they are now seeking to examine security footage in the vicinity for any leads or information that may shed light on the circumstances surrounding Murphy’s death.The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has asked anyone with information to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500 or (323) 697-7327. Information can also be provided anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS (8477) or using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org/.
