GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Ariz. — The body of a 20-year-old New Mexico woman was found in Grand Canyon National Park. She is the third person to die in the canyon in the last two weeks.
Police in the park said Thursday that Albuquerque woman Leticia A. Castillo’s body was found on Tuesday, about 150 feet (45 meters) below Twin Overlooks.
The South Rim of the canyon got her body, and then it was taken to the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office in Flagstaff for an autopsy.
Officials at the park said they think Castillo came into the park on or around August 3.
The death is being looked into by the Park Service and the county medical officer.
A 20-year-old guy from North Carolina died on July 31 when he slipped and fell about 400 feet (120 meters) off the edge of the South Rim. He was on a mission trip with his church.
A Missouri man, 43 years old, died the next day while trying to BASE jump from Yavapai Point. He fell about 500 feet (150 meters) and hit his head. The Grand Canyon said that BASE jumping is not allowed in the park.
A spokeswoman for the park, Joelle Baird, said that 11 people have died in Grand Canyon National Park this year, which is the same number as in all of 2023. In 2022, 12 people died in the park. In 2021, 23 people died, and in 2020, 13 people died. It wasn’t possible to get a list of the reasons why people died at the park right away.