The Texas Department of Public Safety has discontinued a Silver Alert for a missing Lubbock couple after authorities confirmed they were found dead in rural New Mexico.
According to the Carson County Sheriff’s Office, the Panhandle Police Chief received word that 82-year-old Charles “Gary” Lightfoot and his wife, 81-year-old Linda Eppers Lightfoot, were located deceased in Quay County. Their bodies and car were discovered Tuesday in a remote pasture outside Tucumcari, New Mexico, ending a multi-state search that began after they failed to return home from a Thanksgiving visit.
Law enforcement officials said no evidence of foul play was found at the scene. Preliminary information suggests the couple likely died from hyperthermia—dangerously low body temperature caused by prolonged exposure to cold conditions. Their remains will be transported to Albuquerque for official autopsies.
A Trip Home That Never Reached Its Destination
The Lightfoots had spent Thanksgiving in Panhandle visiting friends and were expected to drive back to Lubbock on Friday afternoon. When they failed to arrive home, loved ones reported them missing to the Panhandle Police Department, prompting the Texas DPS to issue a Silver Alert.
Because Charles Lightfoot was oxygen-dependent and the couple did not have cell phones, authorities said the situation posed a serious threat to their health and safety, intensifying efforts to locate them.
Multi-Agency Search Effort
The couple’s Toyota Camry was tracked at several points along their intended route. License plate readers detected the vehicle in Groom, Texas, and later in San Jon, New Mexico. The car also pinged a cell tower in Tucumcari, offering investigators their final clue to the couple’s whereabouts.
New Mexico State Police deployed a helicopter to assist with aerial searches, while the Quay County Sheriff’s Office used drones on Friday and Saturday and canvassed roads and neighborhoods by patrol car. Despite the extensive search, the couple was not located until Tuesday.
Community in Mourning
The discovery has brought a tragic close to a case that drew concern across the Texas Panhandle and eastern New Mexico. The Lightfoots leave behind family members who were notified shortly after the discovery.
Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances that led the couple off course and into the remote area where they were found. Weather conditions, unfamiliar terrain, and medical vulnerability are all being considered.
