Latest news with #McDowellSonoranPreserve
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Friends, family attend sunrise hike to honor Hannah Moody
The Brief The community is mourning the loss of Hannah Moody, who was found dead near the Gateway trailhead over a week ago. Moody would have celebrated her 32nd birthday on May 31. SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Community members gathered to mourn the loss of Hannah Moody, who was found dead near Gateway Trailhead over a week ago. At the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, people started gathering as early as 5:00 a.m. You can see it was a beautiful morning out here, but definitely a very sad one on what would have been her 32nd birthday. Now, Scottsdale police say the local woman set out on a hike, and she never made it back to her car on May 22. Family, friends and loved ones honored her life in what they call a sunrise celebration meet-up. Dozens of people attended the event on May 31, and we talked to them about what it means to memorialize their friend, what it was like spending that much time missing her, and how they're remembering her now on what would have been her 32nd birthday. What they're saying "I think it's kind of surreal. I don't think it's like hit me until those moments of, like, hey, we're going out doing our Thursday brunch, or like, it really hit me on this hike, because this was something we did together," said Jessica Giannina, Hannah's roommate. "So it's like moments like that is when the, you know, waves of emotion come about. But, you know, I know that she's in a better place now, and that she's at peace. And she was doing literally what she absolutely loved to do. And yeah, I would kind of almost not rather her go out another way than hiking, so yeah." Hannah's friends say she was an experienced hiker. The last video of her includes a caption saying that she had five gallons of water with her. Search crews found her body 600 yards off trail from the parking lot. What's next Scottsdale police say there were no signs of foul play or trauma, and Hannah Moody's death. We are still waiting for the medical examiner to release more information about a cause of death. Dig deeper Hannah is the second hiker in Arizona who died in May. The Pinal County Sheriff's Office said no foul play is suspected in 33-year-old Noah Farabaugh's death. On May 11, Farabaugh was with a group, who reported him having a medical episode on the Wave Cave Trail. "SFMD, along with assistance from Mesa FD responded to a 1st alarm Mountain rescue with reports of five patients needing rescue, due to heat issues," SFMD said. "One patient became unresponsive and CPR was initiated by civilians before SFMD arrived on scene. Multiple rounds of CPR were initiated, and unfortunately the patient did not survive."
Daily Mail
24-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Mystery as famous hiker Hannah Moody, 31, is found dead just 600 yards off popular trail in Arizona
An influencer who disappeared while hiking through the Arizona desert has been found dead after a huge search. Hannah Moody, 31, vanished while exploring the McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale on Wednesday. On Thursday, the Scottsdale Police Department announced her body was found near a trailhead parking lot on Thursday. Officials said that her remains were found 600-yards off-trial, while their investigation is still in its early stages they said there were no obvious signs of foul play or trauma. Her body was spotted shortly after midday near the trail, after being reported missing at 7pm the night before when friends said they hadn't heard from her. Responding officers found her vehicle in the lot and had tried to reach her via her cellphone before they started searching the area on foot and with drones. The search was called off just before midnight on Wednesday, with over 20 officers and drones picking up the search the next day when her body was found. Moody was a keen hiker, routinely posting videos and images of herself exploring the desert regions of Arizona to her Instagram that has nearly 50,000 followers. In a post to his Facebook, her brother Joel paid tribute to his sister who he described as being 'a nomad' and 'a free spirit'. He said: 'There are times when words can't do justice to the depth of emotion experienced. I received word earlier today that my little sister Hannah Rose died. 'Thank you for bearing with my processing. Thank you also for keeping all of us in your prayers. 'Hannah was a fierce competitor. She was driven, putting her heart and mind to a goal and pursuing it relentlessly. Hannah was also a nomad, a free spirit, searching for a place to belong and to call home after leaving our parents' house. 'I hope that, in death, she has found the home she sought in life. I just wish I could see her once more. I love you and miss you, Hannah.' Her father had spoken with 12news Her last post to her Instagram page earlier this week has since been inundated with tributes from her followers. One person said: 'Enjoy todays sunset from heaven sweet girl. I bet there's nothing like it.' Another added: 'Rest in peace sweet soul. I was lucky enough to know you for the last two months, I'm so sorry it wasn't longer. Fly high angel.' Scottsdale Police Department said: 'Scottsdale detectives and crime scene personnel will now conduct a thorough investigation to piece together what happened to Hannah and how she died.
Fox News
23-05-2025
- Fox News
Hiker influencer found dead in Arizona desert after going missing on trail
A social media influencer known for sharing her hiking adventures and spiritual reflections was found dead near a trailhead in Arizona after being reported missing. The body of Hannah Moody, 31, was discovered in a Scottsdale preserve at around noon Thursday 600 yards off-trail, having gone missing the day before, the Scottsdale Police Department said in a press release. Moody, who was an experienced hiker known for posting uplifting messages about life, was first reported missing at around 7:50 p.m. on Wednesday by concerned friends who said they had not heard from her, police said. That sparked a search effort by police who initially found her car still parked in the parking lot at the Gateway Trailhead in Scottsdale's McDowell Sonoran Preserve. Officers began searching the area on foot, with drones and by helicopter and the search was called off at around 11:30 p.m. local time. The search resumed Thursday morning with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Air Unit locating Moody's body. "It is a heartbreaking development in the extensive search for the missing hiker," police said. Investigators said they are trying to piece together what happened and said there are no obvious signs of foul play or trauma at this point. A cause of death is not yet known and will ultimately be determined by the medical examiner. Hauntingly, Moody posted a video of herself earlier this week talking into the camera on a hike and thanking God for the fact her new day shift in a restaurant allows her to hike at sunset. She said she was initially concerned since she would be making less money on the day shift. "But I just realized, like, God is literally blessing me with the day shift because he knows how much I freaking love the sunset and I love being able to go for sunset hikes and I haven't really been able to do that," Moody said to her 44,000 followers. "And it's just so sweet and so thoughtful and it really just made me look at this situation in such a different way, such a different light, so let this be a reminder that whatever challenge you're going through, there's probably something good about it." She signed off by panning to the spectacular sunset view. "Peace and love. Look at this view. So pretty. It's so pretty." Moody posted on her Instagram Thursday that she was headed out on the hike, writing that she had about "five gallons of water" with her, Fox 10 Phoenix reported. Friends describe Moody as someone with a big heart who felt most at home hiking the desert trails. "She loves the outdoors. If you could put her somewhere where she would be happiest, it would be outside in nature," her friend, Lauryn, told the outlet. They also said she was an experienced hiker who was always prepared. "She does hikes literally weekly like this, so she knows what to do," Jessica, another one of her friends, said. Her brother, Joel Moody wrote on Facebook that his sister was a "fierce competitor" who was "driven, putting her heart and mind to a goal and pursuing it relentlessly." "Hannah was also a nomad, a free spirit, searching for a place to belong and to call home after leaving our parents' house," he said. "She was a wanderer, journeying with companions, settling for a time, then moving on."
CBS News
23-05-2025
- CBS News
Arizona hiker Hannah Moody's body found off trail day after she was reported missing
The body of a hiker was found off a trail in central Arizona Thursday some 16 hours after she was reported missing, Scottsdale police say, calling it a "heartbreaking development." The department says an investigation into Hannah Moody's death is underway, though there are "no obvious signs of foul play or trauma at this point." Hannah Moody in an undated photo. Scottsdale, Arizona police According to Scottsdale police, Moody's body was spotted at about 12:05 p.m. near the Gateway Trailhead of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale. She was first reported missing at around 7:50 the evening before by friends who got concerned because they hadn't heard from her. Responding officers found her vehicle in the parking lot. Attempts "to reach her by phone or ping her cellphone were unsuccessful. Officers began search efforts on foot, with drones and assistance from a Phoenix Police Department helicopter," Scottsdale police said. The search went on until about 11:30 p.m., when it was suspended for the evening. It resumed in the morning "with 20-plus officers on bicycles, on foot, with drones, and with the assistance of the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office search and rescue team and air unit," Scottsdale police said. "Other individuals showed up and assisted with the search efforts as well. The Maricopa County Sheriff's Air Unit located Hannah's body around 12:05 p.m., about 600 yards off-trail." Scottsdale detectives and crime scene personnel are carrying out a thorough probe to try to figure out what happened to Hannah and how she died. The Maricopa County medical examiner's office will attempt to determine the cause of death.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Yahoo
Police search for hiker who went missing at McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale
A female hiker last seen May 21 at the McDowell Sonoran Preserve was reported missing, and Scottsdale police asked the community for any information. Hannah Moody, 31, was seen during morning hours at the Gateway Trailhead area of the Preserve, according to the Scottsdale Police Department. As of 10 a.m. on May 22, Moody had not returned to her car or made contact with family or friends. Police said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, that Moody's disappearance was unexpected and uncharacteristic. Moody was last seen wearing a black tank top, black shorts, hiking boots and a pink backpack, police said. Search efforts began in the evening of May 21 and continued through the morning of May 22 using numerous Scottsdale Police Department resources. The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office and Phoenix Police Department helped search from the air. Anyone with information about Moody was asked to contact Scottsdale Police at 480-312-5000. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Police search for missing hiker at McDowell Sonoran Preserve
