PHOENIX — Richard Fletcher, 61, was found dead at South Mountain Park after he did not return from a morning hike on Saturday, Phoenix police said.
At about 5:12 p.m. July 25, officers received a missing person report for a South Mountain hiker, according to Lt. Vincent Lewis, a spokesperson for the Phoenix Police Department.
The caller said Fletcher left to hike at about 5 a.m. and lost phone contact with him at about 2 p.m. when Fletcher's phone battery died.
Police found Fletcher’s vehicle unoccupied at the Phoenix Pima Canyon Trailhead, Lewis said, which is in the northeast section of the park near 48th Street and Guadalupe Road.
A cyclist later found Fletcher unresponsive along National Trail, according to Lewis. Phoenix fire crews hiked to the scene and determined Fletcher could not be resuscitated, according to spokesperson Capt. DJ Lee.
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Police found no apparent signs of trauma or foul play, Lewis said. Crews delayed recovering Fletcher’s body because of safety concerns after dark, and Phoenix Air Rescue airlifted his body from the trail the next day, according to Lewis.
Fletcher’s condition and where he was found appeared consistent with a heat-related or medical event, investigators said. The Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner will determine how he died, Lewis said.
Around the time Fletcher was reported missing, extremely high temperatures peaked for the day, as the ambient air was approximately 116 degrees at nearby Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, according to the National Weather Service.
Other hikers have died on Arizona trails this summer
Fletcher’s death followed several hiker deaths across Arizona in June.
Robin Janes, 75, died June 23 after a reported heat-related medical emergency while hiking Brown Mountain in Tucson.
Rangers found another man dead at South Mountain on June 16 after finding his vehicle parked overnight. He was identified as 78-year-old Michael Jules Goldberg and may have suffered from a medical event, Lewis said.
Phoenix police also said Gilbert A. Garcia died from injuries he suffered in a fall at South Mountain in June.
Four Grand Canyon hikers died in June after experiencing heat-related symptoms or in incidents the National Park Service described as apparently heat-related. The deaths included an 18-year-old hiker who died June 3 and other hikers who died June 12 and June 16.
How to stay safe hiking in the summer
The weather service advised people to drink water or electrolytes, wear lightweight and light-colored clothing and limit direct sun exposure during extreme heat.
People who must remain outdoors should drink water about every 20 minutes, take regular breaks and seek shade or air conditioning when possible.
Hikers should also avoid the hottest part of the day and watch others for signs of heat illness.Â
