Grand County Sheriff's Office's Search for Texas Couple Turns into Recovery Effort

MOAB — The search for a missing Texas married couple east of Moab has turned into a recovery operation, according to the Grand County Sheriff's Office.

The office said Friday night that while search and rescue teams have not found the bodies of Ray and Maranda Ankofski, they are transitioning from search and rescue to body recovery.

“Despite exhaustive efforts, including the use of advanced search techniques and resources, Ray and Maranda Ankofski have not been located,” the sheriff’s office press release said. “… based on the evidence collected at the scene (and) during the operation … the Grand County Sheriff’s Office is moving toward providing closure for (the couple’s) family and friends.”

On June 21, the Texas couple went to the Steel Bender off-trail trail. They did not return as planned and their vehicle was found abandoned.

On Wednesday, the Grand County Sheriff's Office told KSL TV it found a pair of pants containing Ray Ankofski's wallet and ID in the search radius.

The office said rescue teams believe a recent flash flood may have caught the couple by surprise and swept them away.

Read the full story on KSLTV.com