Body found in downtown Las Vegas container; suspect dies in pursuit with Utah police
The man considered to be a suspect in the case of a body found near the Fremont Street Experience on Tuesday was killed later that day when he crashed during a police chase in Utah, according to the Metropolitan Police Department.
Joseph Del Rivo, 63, died when he crashed in a high-speed pursuit with the Utah Highway Patrol on Tuesday, Metro said in a press release.
In announcing the discovery of the body, the Metropolitan Police Department said in a press release Thursday that officers received a report Tuesday at about 10:20 a.m. of a foul odor coming from a “large container” at a business in the 100 block of North 3rd Street. Arriving officers opened the container and found a body, according to the release.
Police said homicide detectives responded due to the “suspicious nature” of the case.
The person found dead in the container will be identified by the Clark County coroner’s office, police said.
Metro said the crash involving Del Rivo was not related to their investigation.
In a press release Wednesday, the Utah Department of Public Safety said a 63-year-old man died after a high-speed chase Tuesday. The department didn’t name the man.
The pursuit began after Utah Highway Patrol trooper witnessed a speeding vehicle on Interstate 70 near milepost 30 in Sevier County at about 5:45 p.m.
The driver hit speeds of 90 mph and accelerated to 140 mph and higher, the release said.
Road spikes were deployed, and after hitting them, the driver continued east on I-70 for approximately three miles, authorities said.
The driver, in an attempt to avoid more road spikes near milepost 43, veered off the road. The vehicle overturned several times and the driver suffered fatal injuries, the release said.
The crash remained under investigation by the Sevier County Sheriff’s Office. A request for comment from a department spokesperson was not immediately returned Thursday.
Metro said in its news release that anyone with information was urged to contact homicide detectives at 702-828-3521, or at homicide@lvmpd.com. To remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 702-385-5555.
Contact Casey Harrison at charrison@reviewjournal.com. Follow @Casey_Harrison1 on X or @casey-harrison.bsky.social on Bluesky.
A previous version of this story misstated the weekday that police said Joseph Del Rivo died in a crash.
