UTAH

Texas man’s body found after going missing during suspected flash flood near Moab in June 2024

Apr 3, 2025, 8:45 AM | Updated: 5:55 pm

Body of Texas man recovered...

Ray and Maranda Ankofski, a Texas couple, went missing in Grand County, according to officials. The couple believed to have vanished from an off-road trail outside of Moab. (KSL TV)

(KSL TV)

SALT LAKE CITY — The body of a Texas man who went missing in June 2024 alongside his wife during a suspected flash flood has finally been found.

Ray Ankofski, 58, went missing on June 21, 2024, on the Steel Bender off-road trail east of Moab in Grand County, after he and his wife failed to return home. Ankofski’s wife, 50-year-old Maranda, was found a month later on July 22, 2024.

Ankofski’s remains were found in San Juan County on March 26, according to a news release from the Grand County Sheriff’s Office.

“Mr. Ankofski was located along the Colorado River, approximately thirty-seven miles from their UTV wreckage site,” the Grand County Sheriff’s Office said. “We extend our sincere gratitude to the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office, Utah Department of Public Safety, and the Utah Office of the Medical Examiner for their invaluable assistance in the location, recovery, and identification of Raymond Ankofski.”

The sheriff’s office said the Ankofski family is requesting privacy during this time. 

“(The family) also wish to thank the community and all law enforcement entities for their unwavering persistence in bringing them closure regarding their missing loved ones,” the sheriff’s office said.

The family put together a GoFundMe* campaign to support recovery efforts when the Ankofskis first went missing.

*KSL NewRadio does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisors and otherwise proceed at your own risk.

Related reading: Human remains found in black trash bag in Brigham City, police say

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Texas man’s body found after going missing during suspected flash flood near Moab in June 2024