Family hopes for positive outcome as searchers search for missing Texas couple outside Moab

GRAND COUNTY — Searchers planned to resume efforts Wednesday to find a missing Texas couple believed to have disappeared from an off-road trail outside Moab.

Ray and Maranda Ankofski, ages 58 and 50, were last heard from Friday afternoon while walking toward the Steel Bender Trail, family members told KSL 5.

According to a release from the Grand County Sheriff's Office, searchers began working on an abandoned vehicle Monday morning. They then also found a UTV belonging to the couple in the area.

Donna Stevens, Ray's sister, told KSL that in addition to those vehicles, searchers also found a cooler and other personal items that may have come from the ATV, but no sign of Ray or Maranda themselves .

“We're all in Texas, we've posted several things on several ATV groups,” Stevens said. “I feel a little helpless when, you know, you're sitting here in Texas and you're like, 'Yeah, we could get on a plane and go to Moab,' but I'm not sure what to do.”

The family said they hope to keep attention on the case and keep local eyes on watch, although the sheriff's office statement Tuesday asked the public to avoid the Steel Bender Trail while the search is underway .

Stevens said the couple had been to Utah and Moab several times before, were very outdoorsy and would have been prepared for the elements, but they didn't know if they had been caught in a storm or other adverse event on Friday.

“I would have thought they could have come back from the mile and a half they were in,” Stevens said.

She said she is grateful for the support the community has expressed so far.

“We've been praying a lot right now,” Stevens said. “Prayers, prayers, we need prayers.”