Greg Lightfoot He became worried on Nov. 27 when his parents failed to return home to Lubbock, Texas.
earlier that day, Linda and Gary Lightfoot The roughly three-hour drive to the Panhandle to celebrate Thanksgiving with family was a routine trip they used to make.
As night fell and there was still no sign of them, Greg contacted relatives to see if anyone knew the reason for their delay.
“I called to ask how the day was going,” he told peopleexplaining that no one remembered anything unusual. Family members told him the couple looked fine when they left.
Linda and Gary did not return home that night and were reported missing. Five days later, authorities discovered their bodies in a remote area of Quay County, New Mexico, hours away from where they lived.
“Tragically, both individuals were found deceased at the scene,” the Quay County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement, adding that the investigation into their deaths was ongoing.
“It was really shocking and surprising,” Greg said. “Basically, we’re taking it day by day. We’re just trying to get through this the best we can.”
As Greg tries to piece together what happened, he believes his parents may have changed course after leaving the Panhandle.
“My theory right now is that they left the Panhandle and headed to Amarillo and then came home on Interstate 27,” he said.
Greg noted that his mother did not have any known serious health issues, but suspected she might have had trouble driving. He added that his father no longer drives.
“I don’t know if she had a mini-stroke or something on her way west to Amarillo,” he said.
Greg thought his parents might have been lost or overwhelmed and tried to return to the Panhandle, but missed a crucial turn and instead continued toward Groom. After realizing they had gone too far east, he believed they turned around again but were unable to correct their course.
Later they were found together next to their vehicleits trunk opens. One theory is that his mother died first, Gregg said, noting she was found with a jacket covering her face and torso.
“We thought it was my father who did it,” he said.
Although autopsy results have not yet been released, Gregg said it is believed his parents ultimately froze to death.
Gary, a veteran who later worked in law enforcement for decades, and Linda, who built a career in banking, had been married for 62 years at the time of their deaths.
“My parents were always fun, funny and personable,” Greg said. “They love traveling. They love helping others when they can, whether it’s a co-worker, a friend or someone they just met.”
Looking back, Greg describes his parents’ Thanksgiving visits with relatives as a bittersweet moment. He explained that it was “bittersweet” for them to have the opportunity to spend time with their loved ones.
“It’s nice that they were able to see everyone and have a good farewell experience, even though they didn’t realize what was happening.”