Body found in Grand Canyon believed to be teen hiker
GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Ariz. The fate of a woman who went missing two weeks ago while on a Grand Canyon hike with her stepgrandson remains an unknown while their family awaits the positive identification of a body found in the park and believed to be the 14year-old boy.
The two went missing April 15 while in the bottom of the canyon during a hike from the North Rim to an area known as Tapeats Creek.
The Grand Canyon National Park says a body found Friday by a commercial river trip is likely Jackson Standefer, of Chattanooga, Tenn. The body was taken by helicopter to the Coconino County medical examiner’s office, which will confirm the identification.
Mark McOmie, Standefer’s uncle, said the family is waiting to comment until the body is formally identified.
Standefer and LouAnn Merrell were on a trip with Standefer’s mother and LouAnn’s husband, Randy, co-founder of Merrell Boot Co. Authorities say the teenager and his step-grandmother were crossing a creek when they lost their footing and were swept away.