Couple goes separate ways during Arizona hike. Wife’s body found hours later, cops say
A Rhode Island woman was found dead in Arizona on Sunday after separating from her husband on a hiking trail, police said.
Her death marks the second time a person has died following a separation from their companion in the last two months.
Donna Miller, 57, and her husband began hiking in the Brown’s Ranch trail system in north Scottsdale around 12:30 p.m. when temperatures were in the triple digits, Scottsdale police said.
The two split up on the trail and planned to meet later. But Miller never made it to their meet-up spot, police said.
Her husband called 911, and Scottsdale police and the fire department responded around 3:15 p.m.
Search and rescuers found Miller’s body around 9 p.m. — nearly six hours later, police said.
Miller’s cause of death has not been confirmed by the Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office yet, but police suspect it was heat-related and due to “environmental exposure.”
The National Weather Service issued an excessive heat warning on Sunday. Temperatures reached a high of 107 that day.
Camelback Mountain — a popular hiking spot in Phoenix — closed due to the high temperatures, according to Phoenix Parks and Recreation.
A 31-year-old Boston woman died following a hike up Camelback Mountain in July after splitting up from her companion.
Angela Tramonte and off-duty Phoenix police officer Dario Dizdar set out to hike the Echo Canyon Trail without water around 10 a.m. on July 30.
Halfway through the hike, Tramonte turned around and told Dizdar to finish the hike without her, police said.
They planned to meet back at the car, but Tramonte never made it. Officials found her body hours later. Fire officials said she may have become overheated.
This story was originally published September 15, 2021 at 11:11 AM with the headline "Couple goes separate ways during Arizona hike. Wife’s body found hours later, cops say."
