Body found in Death Valley National Park identified

A Las Vegas woman who was reported missing earlier this month was found dead in Badwater Basin, a salt flat in Death Valley National Park, officials said. The Inyo County’s Coroner’s Office identified the woman as Kimberly Savage, National Park Service spokesperson Candice Stevenson wrote in an email to SFGATE. (The Inyo County Sheriff’s Office did not respond to SFGATE’s requests for information.)

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On Oct. 11, Park Service officials found an unattended vehicle in Death Valley’s Badwater Basin parking area that was associated with Savage, who had previously been reported missing from Las Vegas. A missing person flyer shared widely states that Savage’s family last heard from her on Oct. 5, and in a Facebook post, the Las Vegas bar Hogs & Heifers Saloon (which called Savage a “friend of Hogs Family”) said she was driving a rental car in Death Valley before she was reported missing.

The Las Vegas Police Department confirmed to SFGATE that a missing person report was filed for Savage, but the department did not provide further details. 

Authorities launched a ground search on Oct. 12, the day after Savage’s car was found abandoned in the Badwater parking lot, the Park Service said. A California Highway Patrol helicopter eventually spotted a body in Badwater Basin. Search and rescue crews could not recover the body right away because of high winds in the area, but Savage’s body was recovered on Oct. 13, according to the Park Service.

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Badwater Basin, a popular attraction in Death Valley, is considered the lowest point in North America at 282 feet below sea level, according to the Park Service’s website. The area is also known for hazards including extreme heat and the risk of flash floods. 

The Inyo County Coroner’s Office confirmed to SFGATE that Savage’s family has been notified of her death; however, the office could not immediately provide details about the circumstances.