Picacho, Arizona (3TV/CBS 5) — Searchers were hoping for a different ending for a hiker reported missing on Picacho Peak.

The Pinal County Sheriff's Office announced that 46-year-old Joseph Reed was found dead Wednesday evening. He was last seen by other hikers on the next trail. pikacho peakaround noon Tuesday near Interstate 10 between Casa Grande and Tucson.

The next day, his car was found still in the parking lot at the trailhead. Pinal County Sheriff's Office search and rescue team I started looking for him. Searchers initially believed the missing hiker was a man named Brian Jauch because Reed had entered the park using a park pass issued to Jauch, the Pinal County Sheriff's Office said. . The abandoned parked vehicle was also registered in Jauch. The sheriff then discovered that Reed was actually the person they were searching for.

When they found Reed, he appeared to have collapsed. Investigation is ongoing.

Editor's note: PCSO incorrectly identified the missing hiker as Brian Jauch in an earlier version of this article. It has since been fixed.

Was there a spelling or grammatical error in your story? Click here to report.

Have a breaking news photo or video? Submit that's for us here Comes with a simple explanation.

Copyright 2024 KTVK/KPHO. All rights reserved.