Missing CA Hiking Influencer Found Dead Near Trail

SCOTTSDALE, AZ — A missing social media influencer from California has been found dead near a hiking trail in Arizona just hours after making her final Instagram post, according to authorities.

The body of 31-year-old Hannah Moody was found just after noon on May 22 near the Gateway Trailhead of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale, about a third of a mile from the trail. She had been reported missing the night before, according to authorities. Her car was still in the parking lot.

"It is a heartbreaking development in the extensive search for the missing hiker that started in the evening hours on May 21," the Scottsdale Police Department said in a release.

Moody frequently posted about her love of hiking on her Instagram account, which has about 45,000 followers. She's lived in Los Angeles, Alameda and Orange counties as well as South Carolina, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Moody had been reported missing May 21 just before 8 p.m. "by concerned friends who had not heard from her," police said.

"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," police said.

After pausing the search for the night, authorities picked up their efforts the next morning with the help of 20 police officers, along with others who volunteered to help out, police said.

"Scottsdale detectives and crime scene personnel will now conduct a thorough investigation to piece together what happened to Hannah and how she died. Our investigation will be in cooperation with the Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner, which will ultimately determine the cause of death," police said.

There are no obvious signs of foul play or trauma, police said.

Moody’s friends told KPNX they believe she died of heat exhaustion. On Thursday afternoon, Scottsdale hit 106 degrees.

Moody, who grew up in Northern California, moved to Arizona last fall to take advantage of the hiking opportunities in that state. Around that time, she transitioned her Instagram account into one dedicated to content about hiking and connecting with nature, SFGate reported.

“She really likes the desert … she likes to experience that and see all the beauty of God’s creation,” Moody’s father, John Moody, told KPNX hours before his daughter’s remains were found.

This time of year can be particularly dangerous for Arizona hikers, a senior program manager at the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy told SFGate.

“We have preliminary data shared by the Scottsdale Fire Department that shows the hottest months are actually not the most dangerous months, because people are taking the heat seriously — they’re avoiding going outside during those months,” Brian Whitehead said. “But the shoulder seasons, like April/May and September/October, [are] when warm days catch people by surprise. Even locals who have spent all winter outside are not used to the heat anymore, which means most of our heat rescues happen during the shoulder seasons.”

Moody is thought to have started her hike around 11:30 a.m. May 21, based on a video she shared on Instagram, SFGate reported. The post, which was in an automatically disappearing story, was captioned "Conquering this trail as a last hurrah before summer hits."