Missing Man Found Dead 10 Months After Being Swept Away in Flash Flood That Also Killed His Wife
Human remains found in Utah have been identified as belonging to a Texas man who disappeared along with his wife during an apparent flash flood in 2024.
The Grand County Sheriff's Office announced on Thursday, April 3, that the remains found along the Colorado River on Wednesday, March 26, were identified as Raymond Ankofski.
Raymond and his wife Maranda were on the Steel Bender off-road trail in Grand County on June 21, 2024, the sheriff's office said in a previous news release. Concerns about their whereabouts grew when they failed to return as scheduled and their vehicle was reported abandoned.
The Grand County Sheriff's Office said in its April 3 statement that Raymond's body was located about 37 miles away from the couple's UTV wreckage site.
Related: American Sailing Couple Disappears in Caribbean. Their Yacht Is Found 80 Miles Away
At the time of their disappearance the couple from Pearland, Texas, was on their annual trip to Moab, Utah, CBS affiliate KHOU reported. The region was hit with flash flooding, resulting in dangerous trail conditions. Authorities suspected that the Ankofskis were swept away in the floodwaters.
"And it probably tumbled that UTV down the wash — I'm going to say three-quarters of a mile before it stopped," Grand County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Mike Palmer told KHOU at the time.
Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Ashlynn Ankofski, the couple's daughter, launched a GoFundMe fundraiser in June to raise money for the search efforts.
'We want nothing more than to bring our parents home regardless of the outcome and unfortunately this might require the help of sources outside of law enforcement,' Ashlynn wrote.
Related: Human Remains Found in Georgia Pond Are Couple Missing Since 1980, Family Says: 'Deeply Saddened and Equally Relieved'
About a month later, the sheriff's office confirmed that remains discovered in Mill Creek Canyon were identified as Maranda's.
'At this time, the Anofski family requests privacy as they grieve for their loss,' authorities said. 'They also wish to thank the community and all law enforcement entities for their unwavering persistence in bringing them closure regarding their missing loved ones.'
Raymond, 58, and Maranda, 50, worked as a used car director for a dealership and an elementary school teacher, respectively, according to The Times-Independent.
According to a separate GoFundMe, the couple's son Ray died in a motorcycle crash on July 14, 2024.
Read the original article on People
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
25 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Arizona Teen Girl Dies After Copying Viral 'Dusting' TikTok Trend
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A 19-year-old girl from Arizona has died after taking part in a deadly social-media trend. Renna O'Rourke died on Sunday, June 1 after seven days in an ICU. Her death came after she participated in an act known to many on social media as "dusting." "She was the light in every room she walked into, and the pain that her family and friends feel is simply immeasurable," Renna's father, Aaron O'Rourke, said in a GoFundMe set up to cover his daughter's medical and funeral costs. Her organs were donated following her death. An offshoot of "huffing" and "chroming," two other forms of inhalant abuse, "dusting" involves the inhalation of computer dusting spray in an effort to achieve a momentary sense of intoxication. But the inhalation of these toxic chemicals can seriously impact the nervous system resulting in dizziness, slurred speech and, potentially, death. Newsweek has contacted Aaron and Dana O'Rourke, Renna's parents, for comment on email and social media. TikTok has also been contacted for comment. Why It Matters O'Rourke's death is a reminder of the dangers posed by inhalant abuse and the role social media has in tragedies of this kind. In March 2024, an 11-year-old boy from the U.K. died after copying videos he had seen on social media of people sniffing or inhaling toxic substances. Sherri-Ann Gracie, the mother of Tommie-lee, called for action to be taken on social media when her son was found unresponsive after a sleepover at a friend's house; he later died. In May 2023, Esra Haynes, 13, from Melbourne, Australia, died after inhaling chemicals from an aerosol deodorant can while imitating a social-media trend. What is especially concerning to Dana O'Rourke is the easy availability of many of the inhalants used in viral trends like "dusting." She told AZFamily: "There's no ID required. It's odorless. It's everything kids look for. They can afford it, they can get it and it doesn't show in mom and dad's drug test." What To Know Though repeated use can lead to serious health issues, Renna O'Rourke died as a result of "sudden sniffing death syndrome;" this can result from a single session of inhalant use by an otherwise-healthy young person. The DEA says that sudden sniffing death is particularly associated with the abuse of butane. Though inhalation abuse is not a new practice, figures cited by CNN show an increase in the number of teens taking part. From 2015 to 2022, the number of 12- to 17-year-old American adolescents using inhalants declined from 684,000 in 2015 to 554,000 in 2022, according to the US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. However, by 2023, SAMHSA data showed that number was on the rise, climbing to 564,000. There are a huge number of easily available and potentially dangerous inhalants, with the DEA estimating the total is in excess of 1,000. In February 2022, TikTok introduced new measures designed to address the rise of potentially harmful online challenges. Under the changes, any users attempting to search for content designated as potentially harmful would be directed to an in-app guide, while searches for content violated community guideless blocked. A new four-step process for engaging with an online challenge was also introduced. Despite this, some concerns still remain. What People Are Saying Dr. Randy Weisman. from the intensive care unit at HonorHealth Scottsdale Osborn Medical Center, told AZFamily: "When they inhale these chemicals in the gas it will actually replace the oxygen within their lungs and within the rest of their body." He warned just one huff can prove deadly resulting in "failure of the liver, heart failure, disease of the lungs." What Happens Next Several state legislatures have taken steps to try to deter young people from buying these legal products by placing a restriction on the sale of these products to minors. However, despite posing a risk, many of these substances are not currently controlled by the Controlled Substances Act. Renna's parents look set to challenge this, with Aaron O'Rourke confirming, via the family's GoFundMe, that they will be "pursuing legislation to help prevent any other families from having to go through this."
Newsweek
25 minutes ago
- Newsweek
California Fourth Grader Detained By ICE Sparks Outrage
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A 9-year-old boy in California was detained by federal immigration agents at an immigration hearing. Martir Garcia Lara, a fourth-grader at Torrance Elementary School, was taken into custody along with his father on May 29 after reporting to federal authorities in downtown Los Angeles. They were transferred the next day to an immigration facility in Texas, where they are currently held pending deportation to Honduras. A spokesperson for ICE told Newsweek they remain in federal custody pending deportation to Honduras. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers wait to detain a person, Jan. 27, 2025, in Silver Spring, Md. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers wait to detain a person, Jan. 27, 2025, in Silver Spring, Md. Alex Brandon/AP Why It Matters The arrest comes amid a hardline crackdown on immigration by President Donald Trump's administration, which has vowed to deport millions of migrants without legal status. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has maintained under the second Trump administration that ICE does not arrest children. What To Know "Martir Garcia-Banegas, 50, illegally entered the United States July 10, 2021 with a family member, Martir Isaac Garcia Lara, 9," a spokesperson for ICE told Newsweek. On September 1, 2022, an immigration judge issued an order for the family to be removed to Honduras. Garcia appealed this decision to the Board of Immigration Appeals; however, the appeal was dismissed on August 11, 2023, according to ICE. After being detained by officials in Los Angeles, the father and son were transferred to the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Dilley, Texas. The administration has taken an estimated 500 children into government custody since Trump returned to power, according to CNN. Courthouses nationwide have recently become focal points in the Trump administration's immigration enforcement efforts. Federal agents have been stationed to arrest individuals immediately after they appear before immigration judges. Many of these individuals have been in the U.S. for less than two years, and attorneys from the Department of Homeland Security often request that their deportation cases be dismissed. When a judge approves such a request, immigrants leaving the courtroom are sometimes taken into custody by plainclothes federal agents for expedited removal. What People Are Saying A spokesperson for ICE told Newsweek: "Parents, who are here illegally, can take control of their departure with the CBP Home App. The United States is offering aliens $1,000 and a free flight to self-deport now. We encourage every person here illegally to take advantage of this offer and reserve the chance to come back to the U.S. the right, legal way to live the American dream. If not, you will be arrested and deported without a chance to return." A spokesperson with Torrance Unified School District said in a statement: "It is our responsibility as a District to support the families of every student and connect them to resources and assistance for their continued education and healthy wellbeing, if, and when, a family requests it." What Happens Next Martir and his father will remain detained at a facility in southern Texas pending removal.
Yahoo
39 minutes ago
- Yahoo
That Time the FBI Conspired To Get George Foreman an Award for Boxing
The FBI is concerned with a great many things today. Incels. Orgasm cults. Facebook posts. Safe-deposit boxes. Encryption. But in October 1968, the Bureau was concerned with whether George Foreman got the proper recognition as a boxer. Files released under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) show that the Racial Intelligence Section of the FBI's Counterintelligence Division intervened to get Foreman an additional award for his patriotism after winning an Olympic gold medal. Foreman "gave every American an emotional lift when immediately after defeating Inoas Chepulis [Jonas Čepulis] of the Soviet Union…he showed the world that he was proud to be an American by waving a small American flag," Associate Director G.C. Moore wrote in a memo to Assistant Director William Sullivan. The Bureau also saw Foreman as a useful cudgel against domestic opponents. Foreman's patriotic victory display, Moore wrote, "was in sharp contrast with the earlier despicable black power-black gloved demonstration of Tommie Smith and John Carlos on the Olympic victory stand and the anti-Vietnam stand of Cassius Clay." Smith and Carlos were kicked off the American team for making a black power salute after winning a 200-meter race. Clay, who changed his name to Muhammad Ali, had won an Olympic gold medal for boxing in 1960. He was convicted of defying the military draft in 1967—Ali opposed the Vietnam War on religious grounds—a conviction that was overturned in 1971. Back in 1968, Moore suggested helping get Foreman his "justly deserved award," on the recommendation of two special agents who belonged to the American Legion. With the approval of FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, the Bureau eventually settled on trying to get Foreman the Americanism Award from the Freedoms Foundation. Although he was nominated for the award, Foreman didn't win that year. He did win a George Washington Honor Medal from the Freedoms Foundation in 1974. Foreman, who died in March 2025, had a long career after his Olympic victory. He remained undefeated until his famous "Rumble in the Jungle" with Ali. He retired in 1977, became a Christian minister in the 1980s, returned to boxing in 1994, and began marketing the famous George Foreman Grill that same year. Reason requested Foreman's FBI file after he passed away, and the Bureau released the memos on his Olympic victory earlier this week. The FBI's interest in Foreman came amidst COINTELPRO, a paranoid Cold War counterintelligence program that treated everyone from draft resisters and Martin Luther King, Jr. to the Ku Klux Klan as vectors for foreign subversion. In addition to trying to get Foreman an award, the Bureau heavily spied on Ali and Carlos. Ali ultimately got the last laugh. During his 1971 match with Joe Frazier, a group of dissidents known as the Citizens Committee to Investigate the FBI used the boxing match as a distraction to break into an FBI office in Pennsylvania and steal the COINTELPRO files. The burglary led to Congress reining in the FBI's power. Fortunately, America has learned from those dark days. Surely, the FBI no longer uses fantasies about foreign conspiracies as an excuse to spy on Americans and interfere with domestic politics. Right? The post That Time the FBI Conspired To Get George Foreman an Award for Boxing appeared first on
