Human remains have been found in the 49 Palms Oasis area of Joshua Tree National Park. On Thursday morning, December 19, park rangers were notified by an organization that during an analysis of photos of the oasis that had been taken last summer, evidence of human remains were seen. The discovery was in a remote, rocky, and steep location away from any trails. On Friday, Joshua Tree National Park law enforcement rangers hiked to the reported location where they found human skeletal remains and personal belongings. No personal identification was found with the remains, which appear to have been in that location for some time. The Park Service and the Sheriff’s Department are investigating the discovering. At this time, neither the identity of the remains nor the manner of death have been determined.
On July 13, 2018, Paul Miller of Ontario, Canada, was visiting Joshua Tree National Park with his wife Stephanie. He told her he wanted to take a hike in the park before they returned to Canada. She reported him missing when he didn’t return by noon; his rental car was found in the parking lot for the 49 Palms Oasis, but despite hundreds of searchers spending thousands of hours of looking for him, he has not been found. Park rangers remind visitors to always let someone know where you are going in the park and when you plan to return, and to carry more water than you think you will need.
