A retired marine’s body was discovered in Death Valley with a note on his car stating that he had run out of gas.
On June 14, park visitors discovered the corpse of David Kelleher, a 67-year-old former Marine Corps captain from Huntington Beach, approximately 30 feet from an obstructed roadway.
In California’s Death Valley, a heat wave resulted in record temperatures of up to 123°F.
After running out of petrol, Kelleher appeared to have walked two and a half miles from Zabriskie Point to Furnace Creek.
A park ranger noted his automobile as the lone one in the Zabriskie Point parking area on June 8.
‘Out of gas,’ stated a crumpled note inside Kelleher’s car.
On June 11, park rangers learned that the case had been assigned to Kelleher, who had not been reported missing.
‘In the summer, the National Park Agency advises park visitors to avoid trekking at low elevations after 10 a.m., to remain within a short walk of air conditioning, to drink lots of water, and to consume salty snacks,’ according to the service.
The event was responded to by the National Park Service, a US Navy VX-31 helicopter, the Inyo County Sheriff’s Office, and the Inyo County Coroner’s Office.
Kelleher’s death is the park’s second this month. On June 1, Long Beach resident John McCarry, 69, was discovered dead in Panamint Valley.
On May 23, a search was launched for Peter Harootunian, whose car was discovered abandoned in Emigrant Campground by National Park Service workers.
Harootunian has yet to be discovered.