Found Deceased TX - Linda 81 & Charles "Gary" Lightfoot 82, oxygen depen, car seen Santa Rosa NM Nov 28, they left Panhandle TX to ret home to Lubbock, 27 Nov 2025

[Eli9]

Unfortunately they have been found deceased in Quay County, New Mexico: https://www.everythinglubbock.com/n...x3Z50iIC3wKKKY03Fp_aem_FyPnrTm8974qOso3zWCsqw

Oh no!

 

[ralyla]

They left panhandle, were spotted in Groom, which is the wrong way, seems they turned around and instead of heading south to Lubbock they kept going west. From the previous signing in San Jon, New Mexico and the discovery of their bodies in Quay seems IMO to show they were turning south? MOO

 

[Eli9]

I clicked on an old link to check some locations and the article has been updated.

Gary and Linda have been found deceased.
https://www.myhighplains.com/news/l...ng-for-missing-couple-last-seen-in-panhandle/

Your link says foul play is not suspected.

Unfortunately they have been found deceased in Quay County, New Mexico: https://www.everythinglubbock.com/n...x3Z50iIC3wKKKY03Fp_aem_FyPnrTm8974qOso3zWCsqw

Your link says most likely hypothermia.
Of note
"Gary was a longtime law enforcement officer who served in multiple departments including the Lamb County Sheriff’s Office and Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, among a few others. Gary was the Littlefield Police Chief from 1993 to 2003."

So sad. I'm glad they were able to attend this last holiday surrounded by their loved ones. I hope that brings some peace in the future that they have those memories to look back on.

 

[PGHJW]

Found "near their car." It is saying that foul play isn't suspected. Got lost, crashed and tried to walk?

 

[paris_paris]

View attachment 628162
They left panhandle, were spotted in Groom, which is the wrong way, seems they turned around and instead of heading south to Lubbock they kept going west. From the previous signing in San Jon, New Mexico and the discovery of their bodies in Quay seems IMO to show they were turning south? MOO

Tucumcari… I read something on Facebook about a police officer speaking with them there and giving directions to head towards home. It was right before the silver alert came out.

 

[Herat]

Unfortunately they have been found deceased in Quay County, New Mexico: https://www.everythinglubbock.com/n...x3Z50iIC3wKKKY03Fp_aem_FyPnrTm8974qOso3zWCsqw

Oh, I'm so sad to read this.

My condolences to their family and friends.

 

[HIM_Darling]

Found "near their car." It is saying that foul play isn't suspected. Got lost, crashed and tried to walk?

That seems to happen pretty often with hypothermia. The victims get out of the car and usually take their clothes off believing they are hot.

Also a lot of elderly folks don't drive after dark due to poor eyesight, its possible they accidently drove off the road or pulled off when they ran out of gas and then hypothermia claimed them.

 

[kaen]

I am amazed that they did not have a phone or other device with them. So sad.

 

[Linear13]

If you have older relatives get them a simple phone or ‘life alert’ kind of device that they can contact 911. They used to sell a phone that just called 911 and nothing else. I’m sure they still make them. If you have an elderly family member who is a veteran the VA will provide you with a ‘life alert’ type of device and they will pay for the service. I just got one for my father through the VA. It is worn around the neck or on a belt clip and is essentially a cellphone with one button that calls a service. When you set it up the service will have you list the names and phone numbers of people who are available to respond as well as 911. It is worth it whatever the cost so that none reading this ever have to go through what I am sure their family went through.

All statements MOO and speculation.

 

[crhedBngr]

Not the ending anyone wanted, but I'm glad they were found.

My deepest condolences to their Families and Friends.



JMVHO

 

[TenaciousTBacon]

If you have older relatives get them a simple phone or ‘life alert’ kind of device that they can contact 911. They used to sell a phone that just called 911 and nothing else. I’m sure they still make them. If you have an elderly family member who is a veteran the VA will provide you with a ‘life alert’ type of device and they will pay for the service. I just got one for my father through the VA. It is worn around the neck or on a belt clip and is essentially a cellphone with one button that calls a service. When you set it up the service will have you list the names and phone numbers of people who are available to respond as well as 911. It is worth it whatever the cost so that none reading this ever have to go through what I am sure their family went through.

All statements MOO and speculation.

My mom had a pager-like item through Life Alert. It stayed in Mom's car. It had one red button on it. If you push that button it alerts the Life Alert center and gives them the client name & the GPS location of the pager. Life Alert calls the emergency contact in their records.

Depending on what that person tells them about where the client should be, they may also call 911 with a description of the car and/or client.

My mom kept her cell phone in a Ziploc on her closet shelf so, yeah, not very handy in an emergency.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Sincere condolences to their families.

 

[Seattle1]

Elderly Texas couple missing since Thanksgiving found dead

Authorities in New Mexico found the bodies of an elderly couple from Texas who had been missing since Thanksgiving.

www.fox26houston.com

12/2/25

Authorities were worried about their safety because neither had a cellphone, and Gary was oxygen dependent.

Their car was also spotted on camera in Groom, Texas and then in Santa Rosa, New Mexico the next day.

 

[Seattle1]

https://www.lubbockonline.com/story/news/2025/12/01/search-silver-alert-for-lubbock-couple-who-left-texas-panhandle/87555066007/

12/1/25

Charles "Gary" Lightfoot, 82, and Linda Eppers Lightfoot, 81, were last seen leaving the city of Panhandle on the afternoon of Nov. 27 and did not arrive back to their residence in Lubbock, according to the Carson County Sheriff's Office and the Texas Department of Public Safety.

[..]

The vehicle was spotted in Groom, Texas around 7 p.m. Nov. 27 and then on Friday in Santa Rosa, New Mexico. Their direction of travel or destination is unknown.

 

[Seattle1]

Texas authorities say missing Lubbock couple found dead in New Mexico

Texas authorities on Tuesday confirmed an elderly Lubbock couple missing since Thanksgiving have been found dead in rural New Mexico.

www.lubbockonline.com

12/3/25

The Carson County Sheriff's Office released a statement Tuesday afternoon confirming Gary and Linda Lightfoot, along with their vehicle, were located in Quay County in eastern New Mexico. "The Lightfoot’s vehicle and remains were located in a very rural area," the statement continues.

The Quay County Sheriff's Office later shared a statement saying its deputies responded about 10:30 a.m. Tuesday after receiving a report of a possible sighting of the couple's vehicle.

Upon arrival, deputies located the inoperable vehicle parked in a tree line at the edge of a pasture. The occupants, later confirmed to be the Lightfoots, were found dead at the scene.

Other details about their discovery, including the circumstances of their passing, were not immediately clear as the investigation is ongoing.

ETA: I read in another post that the vehicle was found "high-centered" where parked in the tree line, and the battery dead. Also that the vehicle's GPS had pinged a tower located in Tucumcari, NM

add link:

Missing elderly couple found dead four days after Thanksgiving trip to Panhandle

 

[Seattle1]

What a horrible tragedy, but understandable for anyone dealing with independent seniors of a similar age and means!

While a two-hour drive at 3 pm (i.e., Panhandle to Lubbock) appears feasible for a daylight journey, this would no longer be true after the couple had a 4-hour detour to nearby Groom, TX (after leaving Panhandle, their vehicle was seen in Groom, TX at 7 pm).

Given I-40 runs east and west across Texas, and beyond the NM border, one can see an elderly driver missing Exit 70 to I-27S, the Canyon/ Lubbock route -- especially if struggling with night vision. (See image below).

Reportedly, Gary was oxygen dependent, and he may have been directing his wife, Linda, while deprived of oxygen. And hopefully, Gary wasn't driving!

It further appears the couple likely traveled West on I-40 as far as Santa Rosa, NM, before stopping, and backtracking their route, headed East-- but only got as far as Tucumcari, NM when their car became disabled.

Sadly, it seems that they were continuously within only 200 miles of home in Lubbock, TX. My condolences to the Lightfoot's family and friends.

AA Roads - Photo credit

Map Link:

Route Planner | Directions, traffic and maps | AA

www.theaa.com

 

[RedHaus]

A very sad ending for this couple and their family. Many 'what ifs' come to mind. But that is moot. All I hope is Mr. and Mrs. Lightfoot rest in peace.

 

[Dotta]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1996809528969441721

 

[Eli9]

Nightmarish deaths for elderly couple who vanished while driving home

Linda, 81, and Gary Lightfoot,82, had traveled to Panhandle, Texas, to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with family, but they never returned home after the celebration.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Despite the headline no cause of death is included in the article.

 

[RedHaus]

Nightmarish deaths for elderly couple who vanished while driving home

Linda, 81, and Gary Lightfoot,82, had traveled to Panhandle, Texas, to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with family, but they never returned home after the celebration.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Despite the headline no cause of death is included in the article.

Thanks for posting! And while true, the DM article does reveal some new and odd 'facts'.

"[Their car] had blown through a gate and cattle deterrent and stopped in a mess of trees."

"Officers [found]... the Lightfoots' dead bodies lying in the back of the car..."

"Linda's body had a 'fur-like jacket' placed over her face according to a police report..."

"The vehicle had a flat tire, the trunk was open, and it was still shifted into drive... The car's battery was also drained."

"Police do not suspect foul play, as neither body had signs of trauma and there was $311 in cash and a loaded firearm inside, the police report said. Neither had a phone on them as Linda had forgotten hers at home..."

I agree with their son's assessment that his Mom probably had a medical event(s) such as a stroke or mini strokes that caused her to be disoriented. The details of how they got to where they were and the status of their car and bodies is just really odd.

If the car was found in Drive and the car was stuck (previously reported as 'high-centered' - wheel(s) not touching ground):

• the ignition was likely still engaged when they came to a stop in a high-centered position
• since the presumed automatic transition was still in Drive, the car's drive wheel(s) continued to spin at idle
• when the engine eventually ran out of gas, the drive wheels would stop, but the ignition would remain on
• with the ignition on, the car would eventually run out of battery power, as it was found
• the Lightfoot's likely crawled into the back seat to sleep and stay warm together
• Mrs. Lightfoot may have passed away first given the jacket was found over her face
• the trunk may have been open as a result of blowing through the fence, and sadly that allowed heat to escape

Regrettably, if the Lightfoot's had put their car in Park, it would have reduced the consumption of gas because the drivetrain was not engaged. Further, if they had been awake when the car ran out of gas they could have shut off the ignition to save power.

I am REALLY curious what frame of mind the Lightfoots were in when that officer gave them directions in New Mexico. It is truly a shame that he may not have picked up on cognitive impairment and/or called their family to suggest they pick them up.

So many regrets... it won't bring them back, but it may help prevent future deaths like this.

IMO.