Hiker’s body found in Arizona conservation area days after she disappeared, cops say
A 60-year-old woman’s body was found in an Arizona conservation area days after she was last seen leaving her home to hike, authorities said.
Kathleen Patterson’s body was found off trail by a volunteer around 8 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 28 in the Spur Cross Ranch Conservation area in Cave Creek, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office said.
Patterson was last seen leaving her home around 7:30 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 25, deputies said.
She texted her husband hours later, KTVK 3TV reported.
“Hey babe I’ve gotten off route. I’m OK. Plenty of water. All good,” she texted him at 10:02 a.m., the news outlet reported.
When she didn’t return home from her hike, a search and rescue effort began looking for her.
Her body was found three days later, authorities said, and foul play is not suspected “at this time.“
Cave Creek reached a high of 101 the day she went missing, according to AccuWeather.
The Spur Cross Ranch Conservation area is “2,154 acres of diverse, rugged upper Sonoran Desert,” according to the Maricopy County Parks website.
“I would say she died as she lived — bravely, striving toward those who love her, a beauty in the wilderness,” her brother-in-law Rick Patterson wrote on Facebook. “So very grateful to all who supported the search and rescue effort.”
This story was originally published September 28, 2022 at 3:57 PM with the headline "Hiker’s body found in Arizona conservation area days after she disappeared, cops say."
