Hiking influencer Hannah Moody has been found dead hundreds of yards from a popular Arizona hiking trail.
The Scottsdale Police Department confirmed in a press release on May 22 that the 31-year-old’s body had been discovered near the Gateway Trailhead of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale.
“Hannah was first reported missing around 7:50 p.m. on May 21 by concerned friends who had not heard from her,” the release read. “Scottsdale officers responded to the trailhead where she was last seen and located her vehicle still in the parking lot. Efforts to reach her by phone or ping her cellphone were unsuccessful. Officers began search efforts on foot, with drones and assistance from a Phoenix Police Department helicopter. Search efforts continued for Hannah for approximately four and a half hours until around 11:30 p.m., when the search was called off for the evening.”
The statement noted that the search efforts resumed on the morning of May 22, with more than 20 officers on bicycles, foot and with drones being assisted by the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office search and rescue team and air unit.
“The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Air Unit located Hannah’s body around 12:05 p.m., about 600 yards off-trail. Scottsdale detectives and crime scene personnel will now conduct a thorough investigation to piece together what happened to Hannah and how she died,” the statement read. “Our investigation will be in cooperation with the Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner, which will ultimately determine the cause of death.”
The release concluded, “The investigation is in its early stages, but there are no obvious signs of foul play or trauma at this point.”
Days before her death, Moody — who amassed more than 45,000 followers on Instagram as she documented her life in Arizona — shared a video documenting her hike on a trail. In the clip, Moody explained that she was given the day-shift at a restaurant — which she was initially not thrilled about, until she changed her mindset.
“I just realized God is literally blessing me with the day shift because he knows how much I freaking love the sunset and I love being able to go for sunset hikes,” Moody said. “I haven’t really been able to do that and it’s just so sweet and so thoughtful.”
Moody gave a kiss to the camera before turning her phone around to share the sunset behind a mountain range.
“HIKES W/ HAN | part 1 ????????☀️,” she captioned the May 18 Instagram post. There can always be something positive in every situation, if you just look for it ???? what are you focusing on? God uses all things for good ???????? Romans 8:28.”
