A message written in the sand gave San Juan County Sheriff’s Office investigators insight into what might have happened to an elderly couple from Hemet, California, who died recently in the Bisti Badlands south of Farmington
Katherine Stukenberg, 81, was found dead Oct. 31 in the Bisti Badlands by hikers about 1.3 miles south of the parking area.
Her husband, Gerald Francis Stukenberg, 86, was found 10 hours later with the help of the sheriff’s helicopter, Detective Lt. Gary Mauldin said in a Dec. 15 interview with the Tri-City Record.
“We flew out there the next day, when the sun came up,” Mauldin said. “The helicopter found him. He had a bright red shirt on.”
He was 1.35 miles from where Katherine was discovered.
Near Gerald’s body, investigators found writing in the dirt: “Help, husband ill.”
Mauldin believes the couple was hiking in the Bisti when Gerald suffered a medical emergency.
Katherine might have “stayed with him too long, and then might have gotten too cold overnight” while trying to hike back to the vehicle, he said.
The cause of death for both will remain unknown until an autopsy is completed.
“This is not a crime,” Mauldin said, adding it is not a rare occurrence for the location.
“I would guess half of our search and rescues or more are in the Bisti,” he said, adding, “50 percent of our callouts for the helicopter are for the Bisti Badlands.”
Some calls involve experienced hikers, but others involve visitors unfamiliar with New Mexico’s changing weather patterns.
“People get turned around easily out there,” Mauldin said. “They start their hike during the day and maybe don’t bring enough water, or they stay out until after dark and get too cold.”
Being prepared and staying safe is important when visiting the Bisti Badlands, Mauldin said.
This is also a message the city of Farmington hopes to convey in its new exhibit about the Story of Farmington.
When Peter Lam, a senior exhibition designer, project manager and licensed architect from Reich & Petch, gave his presentation to the Farmington City Council on Dec. 9, he said, “The exhibit traces the forces that shape the land in the community.”
He also said it will “showcase amazing natural resources.”
However, along with those resources and the promotion of outdoor recreation, Lam said the exhibit “will make sure they are practicing safe and respectful practices while they are on public and sacred lands.”
In the Stukenbergs’ case, “they seemed prepared,” Mauldin said.
“They had compasses. They had charts. … They probably hiked 4 or 5 miles before this happened,” Mauldin said.
Katherine was found with her purse nearby, and Mauldin said sheriff’s investigators contacted her sister, who said it was typical for the Stukenbergs to take trips lasting weeks without checking in.
Mauldin said it could take up to a year for the Sheriff’s Office to receive a cause-of-death report.
