A man’s body was found “beyond resuscitative measures” on Saturday evening on South Mountain.
According to Lieutenant Vince Lewis of the Phoenix Police Department, on July 25, 2026, at approximately 5:12 p.m., Phoenix Police responded to a missing person call near Central Avenue and Los Lomitas Drive. The caller reported that the victim, 61-year-old Richard Fletcher, left to go hiking at around 5:00 a.m. that morning and had not returned.
The caller said they lost phone contact with the victim at around 2:00 p.m., when the victim’s phone ran out of battery. His vehicle was located later that day unoccupied near the trail head located at 4500 East Pima Canyon Road.
A cyclist was riding on the trail when he came across the unresponsive Fletcher. Phoenix Fire responded and pronounced him deceased with no signs of trauma.
Due to safety concerns while operating at night, the recovery of the victim’s body was scheduled for the morning.
On July 26, 2026, after it was deemed safe, Phoenix Air Rescue responded and airlifted the victim from the trail.
While cause and manner of death will ultimately be determined by the Medical Examiner’s Office, investigators determined that the scene and victim’s condition were consistent with a heat-related or medical event. There were no obvious signs of foul play or trauma.
Arizona heat claims another one. I walk my 120lb dog at 5 in the morning every day. He carries two bottles of frozen watter in his harness pockets and I have 1 frozen and 2 cold in my little pack, plus a folding dish for him. We walk 1 mile out and 1 mile back. You have to hike with more water than you need and in a area where you can seek shade if necessary. Arizona summers don’t care how well conditioned you are. If you are all alone out there, there is a reason.