Body found in suitcase floating in Lake Merritt identified

OAKLAND, Calif. - The victim whose remains were discovered inside a suitcase floating in Oakland's Lake Merritt has been identified.

The body found last month was 23-year-old Gabriel Gomez Raymundo, the Oakland Police Department announced Wednesday.

Human remains discovered inside a suitcase floating in Oakland's Lake Merritt have been identified as those of 23-year-old Gabriel Gomez Raymundo, the Oakland Police Department announced Wednesday.

Raymundo's body was found inside a dark-colored suitcase located on the edge of Lake Merritt near Lakeshore and Hanover Avenues on Oct. 31.

Authorities have not revealed how long the suitcase had been in the water, but they have classified the case as a homicide.

Oakland police investigators have limited details about the victim and are appealing to the community to share information such as where the victim worked and lived. 

Investigators are also urging people to come forward with tips regarding the circumstances surrounding the young man's death.

The police department and Crime Stoppers of Oakland, are offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to an arrest in this case.

A group of volunteers from the Lake Merritt Institute made the grim discovery while cleaning the area around 11 a.m. on Halloween.

"I wasn't shocked, but I was surprised it was a body in there," said Kevin Shomo, one of the volunteers.

Shomo said they attempted to lift the suitcase out of the water.

"We grabbed one end and we realized it was too heavy. So we pulled it close enough to us and we said, 'Oh wow, this thing is heavy' so we unzipped it and that's what we found," he said.

Shomo said it appeared the victim was crammed inside the suitcase in a fetal position.