Huntington Beach : Police Identify Body Found in Lake Talbert
- Share via
Police have identified a man whose body was found April 6 floating in a city lake as Richard Lee Buztamante, 27. The victim was a drifter whose last known address was Fresno.
Police spokeswoman Jo Anne Bergstrom said investigators tracked down the man’s identity by matching his fingerprints with his early police records, which go back to 1973. Police then contacted Buztamante’s mother and sister, who live in the Bay Area, and his father, who resides in Los Angeles, to verify the victim’s identity.
Bergstrom said police still don’t know how or why he was killed. Buztamante was found sealed in a green plastic bag with a chain around his neck when two fishing companions discovered the bag floating on Lake Talbert.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
