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Human remains identified as man who disappeared while hiking in Grand Canyon

By
FOX 10 Phoenix
Missing Persons
Updated July 21, 2026 1:21 PM MST Published July 21, 2026 1:19 PM MST
(U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Caleb Worpel) article

FILE - The Grand Canyon (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Caleb Worpel)

The Brief

    • William Ott disappeared while hiking in the Grand Canyon in May 2012.
    • Last December, human remains were found in the same area where crews searched for Ott.
    • On July 1, the remains were confirmed to be those of Ott.

GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Ariz.. - Human remains that were found late last year have been identified as a man who went missing while hiking in the Grand Canyon over a decade ago.

The backstory:

In May 2012, the Coconino County Sheriff's Office says William Ott didn't return from his hike in the Grand Canyon.

Crews from multiple agencies searched for Ott, but he wasn't found.

Dig deeper:

Last December, human remains were found by Hualapai Tribe members in the same area where crews had originally searched for Ott. The remains were turned over to the sheriff's office and medical examiner. On July 1, DNA testing confirmed the remains belong to Ott.

What we don't know:

It's unknown how Ott died.

What they're saying:

"The Sheriff's Office expressed its gratitude to the Hualapai Tribe for locating and recovering the remains, as well as to the agencies that participated in the original search efforts," CCSO said in a statement.

The Source: The Coconino County Sheriff's Office

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