Missing Couple After Thanksgiving Found Dead

Officials have located the elderly couple, who had vanished post-Thanksgiving celebration, deceased in New Mexico.

The remains of Linda and Gary Lightfoot were discovered in Quay County, New Mexico, on Tuesday, as reported by Everything Lubbock, referencing information from Panhandle Police Chief Sace Hardman.

Their discovery occurred several days after they departed a Thanksgiving event in Panhandle, Texas, only to not show up at their home in Lubbock, nearly 150 miles distant.

Hardman informed Everything Lubbock that the couple likely succumbed to hypothermia, with no indication of foul play surrounding their deaths at present. The remains are scheduled for autopsies in Albuquerque, N.M.

On November 30, Texas law enforcement issued a Silver Alert for the Lightfoots after the Texas Department of Public Safety escalated the search efforts.

The Carson County Sheriff’s Office (COSO) released information about Linda, 81, and Gary, 82, along with their photographs in a post on Facebook, following their disappearance.

The couple was last seen departing from Panhandle on Thanksgiving, November 27, but they did not arrive at their Lubbock, Texas home.

Authorities suspected they were driving a silver 2024 Toyota Camry, which was later observed by cameras in Texas and New Mexico.

Hardman shared with local media outlet KAMC that the family initially alerted authorities to the couple’s disappearance on Nov. 28, stating they had left Panhandle around 3 p.m. local time on the previous day.

Neither one was carrying a cell phone or any other trackable device, as reported by Fox 4.

Law enforcement agencies, including Panhandle PD, the Carson County Sheriff’s Office, New Mexico State Police, and the Texas Rangers, collaborated in the search for Linda and Gary.

New Mexico State Police and Quay County officials utilised helicopters and drones in their efforts, as noted by News Channel 10.

Gary had a history in law enforcement, having worked for the Lamb County Sheriff’s Office, the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, and other departments. He held the position of Littlefield Police Chief from 1993 to 2003, as reported by Everything Lubbock.