California and Nevada's Lake Tahoe is known for its pristine waters, ski resorts, casinos — and a few urban legends. In Lake Tahoe, where the water's temperature beneath the surface sits in the chilly mid-50s even in summer, the cold temperatures slow the decomposition process significantly. It's widely assumed that most other bodies — mobsters or not — will eventually decompose regardless of scuba gear, although how long that process takes is unknown. As an example, while searching for the body of a 1996 drowning victim, David Ward, Cormican used his tools to scour a small, alpine lake just south of Lake Tahoe called Fallen Leaf Lake. At the end of the day, at least one or two murder victims likely lay at the bottom of Lake Tahoe.

Source: Los Angeles Times October 21, 2023 18:05 UTC