The body recovered floating in the water off Broad Beach in Malibu on September 9 has been identified as Braden Pontoli, a 36-year-old composer and choral singer active in Southern California. Investigators with the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed the recovery off Broad Beach around 3:30 p.m. that day.
Pontoli had been reported missing the day before, on September 8, after telling loved ones he was headed to an in-person interview in Santa Monica, according to friends cited by the New York Post. But subsequent reporting revealed the prospective employer had never actually scheduled or extended an interview with him, according to NTD, leaving the stated reason for his trip unverified and his actual whereabouts that morning unclear.
His blue 2019 Nissan Kicks, the vehicle missing-person flyers had asked the public to help locate by its license plate, was later found parked inside a public parking garage in downtown Santa Monica, according to Malibu.FM. How Pontoli traveled from that garage to the waters off Broad Beach remains unaccounted for.
A Voice Known Across LA's Choral Stages
Pontoli was raised in Beaver, Pennsylvania, and attended Baldwin Wallace University before working as a middle school choir director in Ohio. He relocated to Los Angeles in 2018 to pursue advanced music composition and later graduated from the California Institute of the Arts, according to Voyage LA Magazine.
As a baritone and bass vocalist, he was part of Southern California's choral music scene, and his work included ensemble singing. He also lent his voice to solos with the Claremont Chorale, which described him as kind, patient, and generous, per the New York Post's reporting. His partner, Tommy Lei, mourned his death by saying Braden was the music and soundtrack in his world, and a friend said Pontoli's musicianship and composer skills inspired and drove the friend to improve.
Composer, Sound Artist, and Educator
Beyond the choir loft, Pontoli's work included film scoring and other creative projects, according to Braden Pontoli Music. He had also secured an upcoming 2027 artist residency in Iceland, where he planned to work on sound installation and traditional folksong arrangements, according to his website as cited by the New York Post.
Pontoli also worked on creative projects.
Investigation Remains Open
Authorities said there was no clear indication of foul play, and the investigation into Pontoli's death remains ongoing, per the New York Post.
Hoodline's earlier reporting has discussed Malibu-area coastal access and water safety. Ocean rescues remain frequent along the Los Angeles County coastline, with the county Fire Department's Lifeguard Division logging 7,580 ocean rescues in 2024 and 10,718 in 2022, with rip currents cited as the leading cause of open-water distress.
Pontoli's case follows other recent Malibu coastal emergencies, including a Malibu search for a missing swimmer in late August that drew in the Coast Guard. No further details about the exact circumstances of Pontoli's death have been released as the investigation continues.
