Missing Couple from Thanksgiving Celebration Found Dead

Authorities have confirmed that Linda and Gary Lightfoot, an elderly couple from Texas who went missing after a family Thanksgiving event, were found deceased in New Mexico. The couple, both in their 80s, had been unaccounted for since November 27, and their family reported them missing the following day.

The bodies of Linda and Gary were discovered in Quay County, New Mexico, on Tuesday, December 2, according to Everything Lubbock, citing Panhandle Police Chief Sace Hardman. The couple had left a Thanksgiving gathering in Panhandle, Texas, but never returned to their Lubbock home, approximately 150 miles away.

Chief Hardman stated that the Lightfoots likely died from hypothermia, and there is no suspicion of foul play. Autopsies are scheduled to be performed in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

On November 30, a Silver Alert was issued for the Lightfoots after the Texas Department of Public Safety joined the search. The Carson County Sheriffs Office shared photos and details of Linda, 81, and Gary, 82, on social media at the time of their disappearance. They were last seen leaving Panhandle around 3 p.m. on Thanksgiving, November 27, traveling in a silver 2024 Toyota Camry. Surveillance footage later captured the vehicle in both Texas and New Mexico.

The couple was not carrying a cell phone or other tracking devices, making the search more challenging. Local law enforcement, including the Panhandle Police Department, Carson County Sheriffs Office, New Mexico State Police, and Texas Rangers, collaborated in the search. Helicopters and drones were also deployed to assist authorities.

Gary Lightfoot had a career in law enforcement, serving with the Lamb County Sheriffs Office, the Taylor County Sheriffs Office, and other departments, including a tenure as Littlefield Police Chief from 1993 to 2003.

Author: Sophia Brooks