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Body Thought To Be Of Missing 14-Year-Old Found In Grand Canyon National Park

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By NPT Staff - April 29th, 2017

A body believed to be that of a 14-year-old hiker who was washed down Tapeats Creek with his grandmother earlier this month has been found in the Colorado River/NPS

A body thought to be that of a missing 14-year-old who was washed down Tapeats Creek with his grandmother in Grand Canyon National Park has been found in the Colorado River.

Park staff say the body, believed to be Jackson Standefer, was found by a commercial river trip on Friday at river mile 152. Rangers recovered the body, which was transported to the rim by helicopter and transferred to the Coconino County Medical Examiner. 

Standefer was reported missing on April 15 by members of his hiking party after losing his footing while crossing Tapeats Creek. A search-and-rescue effort ran for five days before the park scaled back the effort.

The Coconino County Medical Examiner will confirm positive identification. An investigation into the incident is being conducted by the National Park Service and the Coconino County Medical Examiner. 

Yet to be found is the body of LouAnn Merrell, 62, of Vernal, Utah. She is the wife of Randy Merrell, the co-founder of Merrell Boot Co.

On April 15, the Park Service received an alert from a personal locating beacon in a backcountry area of the park near the confluence of Tapeats Creek and Thunder River. An Arizona Department of Public Safety helicopter flew to the location where a hiking party reported two members of their party missing.

The party reported that Merrell and Standefer were last seen crossing Tapeats Creek below the confluence with Thunder River when they lost footing and were swept down Tapeats Creek.

The Tapeats Creek area is located in a remote backcountry area of Grand Canyon National Park. The area is popular with overnight backpackers in spring and fall.

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