Following a multi-day search, National Park Service personnel located a body below Twin Overlooks along Desert View Drive in Grand Canyon National Park on Tuesday, August 6, the park said in a statement.
Park rangers recovered the body which was located approximately 150 feet below the rim. The body was transported to the rim and transferred to the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office. The individual was identified as Leticia A. Castillo, 20, of Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Castillo was believed to have entered Grand Canyon National Park on or around August 3, 2024. An investigation into the incident is being conducted by the National Park Service and the Coconino County Medical Examiner.
No additional information is available at this time.
Since July 31, the Grand Canyon Search and Rescue team has handled three technical rescue recoveries. Despite facing inclement weather and hazardous terrain, the team has undertaken significant risks to complete these missions.
- On July 31, a 20-year-old male visitor fell 400 feet to his death near Pipe Creek Overlook.
- On August 1, a BASE jumper died after falling 500 feet from Yavapai Point.
For everyone’s safety, Grand Canyon National Park staff encourage all visitors to have a safe visit by staying on designated trails and walkways, always keeping a safe distance of at least six feet (2 m) from the edge of the rim, and staying behind railings and fences at Grand Canyon overlooks.
Falls are responsible for just over 9% of all deaths in the National Park System. You can read more about how people die in national parks here.
Besides the risk of falling when getting too close to the rim, Grand Canyon National Park also presents other dangers to visitors. Particularly dangerous are the high temperatures down in the canyon, which claim lives pretty much every year. This summer alone, no fewer than three hikers have died while hiking in the Grand Canyon.