MOAB, Utah – Authorities confirmed that the human remains that were found in Utah on July 22 belonged to a missing Pearland woman.
On Saturday, the Grand County Sheriff’s Office sent out a press release announcing that the discovered human remains belonged to Miranda Ankofski, who went missing along with her husband, Ray, while exploring the Steel Bender Trail east of Moab on June 21.
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Grand County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Mike Palmer said they originally received a report about a man and woman in the area of the trail when a flash flood began.
An initial search turned up nothing, but Palmer said search crews returned after an abandoned vehicle was found. A UTV which belonged to the Ankofski family was also found near the trail.
Authorities later found a pair of pants containing Ray Ankofski’s wallet and ID.
Palmer told NBC affiliate KSL-TV searchers were “pretty sure” the two had been caught in the flood waters.
“It looks as if they went to cross it [and the] flood was already there. They got into it and it probably tumbled that UTV down the wash I’m going to say three-quarters of a mile before it stopped,” Palmer told KSL-TV.
On June 28, the Grand County Sheriff’s Office said the search efforts had transitioned into a recovery effort.