The search for an elderly couple who vanished after a Thanksgiving dinner with friends has ended in tragedy. Charles 'Gary' Lightfoot, 82, and his wife Linda Eppers Lightfoot, 81, were found dead in a remote grassland in New Mexico, days after they were reported missing.
A Thanksgiving Journey Ends in Mystery
The couple, from Lubbock, Texas, had travelled to Panhandle, Texas last week to celebrate the holiday at a friend's home. Their disappearance was reported to the Panhandle Police Department on November 28 when they failed to return. Authorities immediately expressed grave concern, noting that Charles was oxygen-dependent, making his disappearance "a credible threat to their health and safety."
The Texas Department of Public Safety issued a Silver Alert, asking the public to look for the pair and their silver 2024 Toyota Camry. The search quickly expanded, with license plate readers tracing the car's path through Groom, Texas, and San Jon, New Mexico, before a signal was detected near a cell tower in Tucumcari.
Intensive Search Effort Deployed
A significant multi-agency operation was launched in the area west of Tucumcari. As reported by local news outlet KVII, a helicopter from the New Mexico State Police and drones from the Quay County Sheriff's Office scoured the landscape on the Friday and Saturday following Thanksgiving.
The breakthrough came on December 2, when a possible sighting led deputies to a ranch. There, they discovered the couple's Toyota Camry, immobilised and 'high-centred' with a dead battery. Tragically, both individuals were found deceased at the scene.
Family's Belief and Ongoing Investigation
While the official cause of death remains undetermined pending autopsy results, the family shared their thoughts with People magazine. Relative Barbara Scheller stated the family believes the couple, who had driven the route many times, may have simply become lost. "Somehow they got turned around and lost. Left their cell phone at home," Scheller said. There is no suspicion of foul play.
The New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator confirmed the recovery of the remains but noted that final results on the cause and manner of death could take approximately three months.
In a statement to People, the Lightfoot family expressed gratitude for the exhaustive search efforts by law enforcement. "Although it was not the outcome we had hoped for, it is evident everything that could be done was done," they said. They also emphasised a crucial lesson from the tragedy: the importance of being prepared while travelling, even on short, familiar journeys.
The family concluded, "The outpouring of love and support from so many people across Texas, New Mexico and many other states encouraged us. Thank you for your love and prayers. We will cherish the memories we shared."
