Body of missing Texas man found near Grand Teton. Officials credit Gabby Petito case
A man from Texas went on a hike in Wyoming over a month ago and never returned. Officials on Tuesday found a body matching his description.
After hours of searching, a search dog found a body that fit the description of Bob Lowery, a 26-year-old from Houston, Teton County Search and Rescue officials said.
Lowery had been missing since Aug. 20 and was believed to be near Teton Pass, a mountain road that connects Jackson Hole, Wyoming, to Teton Valley, Idaho.
The body was found on “a steep, timbered slope,” search and rescue officials said. His cause of death is unknown.
Search and rescue officials said the search for Lowery was ongoing, but calls from the public prompted a new search and rescue operation in the area.
“The widespread news coverage of the Gabby Petito search helped bring light to Lowery’s case, and resulted in at least two members of the public calling local authorities this past weekend with new information about his possible last seen point,” Teton County officials said.
Petito’s disappearance gained national attention after the 22-year-old was reported missing Sept. 11. She was on a cross-country trip with her boyfriend, Brian Laundrie, when she disappeared.
Petito’s remains were found in a remote area of Grand Teton National Park and the Bridger-Teton National Forest, the same area where Lowery was missing.
The information from the public placed Lowery on Black Canyon Trail, a moderate hiking trail in the Bridger-Teton National Forest. Officials also learned he was wearing a black baseball cap and carrying a black Nike duffle bag.
“At about 1 p.m., a dog team located a body and black Nike duffle bag significantly off trail on a steep, wooded slope,” search and rescue officials said. “Volunteers spent Tuesday afternoon recovering the body from the mountainside.”
This story was originally published September 29, 2021 at 7:21 AM with the headline "Body of missing Texas man found near Grand Teton. Officials credit Gabby Petito case."