Hiker found dead south of Sedona

YAVAPAI COUNTY, Ariz. - A man who was reported missing was found dead on a hiking trail Friday morning near Sedona.

The Yavapai County Sheriff's Office says the 38-year-old man did not show up for work on July 6, which was reported to be unusual. The man's roommate told deputies that he often hiked Cathedral Rock and Bell Rock trails.

The man's vehicle was later found by deputies in the Bell Rock parking lot. Deputies were unable to reach the man, so they pinged his cellphone, which showed he was in the area.

"There was no reason at that time to think the man was in danger, until later that evening when the man still had not surfaced," the sheriff's office said.

A helicopter and a search and rescue team were unable to find the man and called off the search until Friday morning.

At 6 a.m. on Friday, specialized search teams, known as the Back Country Search and Rescue Search Dog Unit and Verde Search and Rescue, were called in to assist in finding the man.

"This team was able to get high on the mountain and visually inspect each of the deep crevasses in the mountain, where they saw something that looked out of place in one of them," YCSO said.

After hiking to this area, crews found the victim, who appeared to have been hiking to the top of the mountain. Deputies say it appears the man slipped and fell to his death.

The victim was not identified.

Map of Bell Rock: