New Orleans: Man admits faking death and triggering false rescue search

By Erick León

Melvin Emde, 44, an Oklahoma resident, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and reporting a false emergency to the Coast Guard. The plea was entered on October 14 and announced by New Orleans prosecutors on October 22.

Documents describe an August 2023 plan to fake his death in the Mississippi River and evade a pending criminal proceeding in North Carolina. A false call triggered a search and rescue operation. Emde was later located in Georgia using another name.

Source: U.S. Department of Justice: Oklahoma Man Guilty of Conspiracy, False Distress Signals, and False Statements. Statement dated October 22, 2026.

Original Spanish article, published October 25, 2026.

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