Missing hiker found dead on South Mountain
Body of hiker recovered at South Mountain
The body of a missing hiker was found on June 16 at South Mountain. Capt. Mike Johnson with the Phoenix Fire Department provides details on the recovery operation.
PHOENIX - The body of a missing hiker was recovered on Tuesday at South Mountain.
What we know:
Capt. Mike Johnson with the Phoenix Fire Department says crews were called to the Mormon Trailhead on June 16 to assist police with a body recovery operation. Johnson said initial reports suggest the hiker had been missing for a few days.
The body of 78-year-old Michael Jules Goldberg was found at around 2 a.m. one mile up the trail and was later flown off the mountain once daylight hit.
Officials said there were no signs of foul play.
The backstory:
On June 12, Phoenix Park Rangers noted an unoccupied vehicle in the parking lot of South Mountain Park that remained overnight. The following morning, Phoenix Police tagged it as abandoned and park rangers requested it to be towed.
After officials learned the car belonged to Goldberg through a records check, they sent Tempe Police to the owner's home for a welfare check, but he was not found.
"It was at that time that he was recorded as a missing person," police said.
Dig deeper:
Since Goldberg was known to frequently hike the area, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue team began searching the area on June 15.
The body of a missing hiker was found on June 16 along South Mountain, the Phoenix Fire Department said. (KSAZ-TV)
What we don't know:
Goldberg's cause and manner of his death will be determined by the Medical Examiner's Office. Police say it appears Goldberg may have suffered a medical event.
Map of Mormon Trailhead:
The Source: Information for this story was gathered from an interview with Phoenix Fire Department Capt. Mike Johnson on June 16, 2026, and a news release from the Phoenix Police Department.