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A recent search-and-rescue effort in Arizona ended in tragedy when the body of 31-year-old Livermore native Hannah Moody was discovered near the Gateway Trailhead of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale.
Although her Facebook profile lists Livermore as her hometown, she was most recently residing in Arizona. She had become a popular social media influencer, with a following of nearly 50,000 on Instagram. Most of her posts were dedicated to hiking and connecting with nature in addition to lifestyle and faith-based content.
Moody was first reported missing around 7:50 p.m. on May 21 by concerned friends who had not heard from her after she had gone hiking earlier that day, according to a May 22 press release from the Scottsdale Police Department.
Officers responded to the trailhead where she was last seen and saw her vehicle still in the parking lot. Attempts to reach her by phone or ping her cellphone were unsuccessful.
Officers launched search efforts on foot, with drones and assistance from a Phoenix Police Department helicopter, Scottsdale PD’s press release said.
The search continued for approximately four and a half hours until it was called off for the night around 11:30 p.m.
They resumed the following morning with more than 20 officers on bikes as well as on foot. They also again had the help of drones and assistance from the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office search and rescue team and air unit.
Police said individuals not associated with law enforcement also showed up to help find Moody.
The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Air Unit located Moody’s body around 12:05 p.m. May 22 – about 600 yards off-trail.
The police department’s press release amassed more than 700 comments on Facebook, including messages of support and condolences to Moody’s loved ones. Other commenters speculated that heat stroke or exhaustion could have been factors in Moody’s death given the high temps in the area the day she set out on her hike.
While the police department said there were initially no obvious signs of foul play or trauma, detectives and crime scene personnel are conducting an investigation in cooperation with the Maricopa County medical examiner to determine exactly what happened to Moody and how she died.
