Desert mystery: Authorities try to fill in the blanks in lost hikers' deaths

The volunteer Joshua Tree Search & Rescue Team searched the rough terrain of the Joshua Tree National Park.

THE AUTHORITIES on Oct. 23 described the deaths of the two lost hikers a "compassionate murder-suicide."

It may never be known the actual circumstances that surround the deaths of Joseph Orbeso, 22, and Rachel Nguyen, 20, but based on positioning of the bodies, and evidence at the scene where their bodies were found, authorities have speculated what might have happened.

The Orange County couple's bodies were found in the shade of a tree, said the Sheriff’s Office  spokeswoman Cynthia Bachman.

“It appeared they were rationing food,” she said, but there was no water nearby.

“There is no indication that he wanted to harm her; that there was any plan for something like this,” Bachman said.

Investigators believe he shot her, and then shot himself.

A gun registered to Orbeso, who worked as a security guard, was found nearby. When they were found Oct. 15, it appeared that the bodies were in an embrace.

“It was explained to us by the investigators on scene, with the circumstances and positioning of the bodies, that they believe this was a sympathetic murder-suicide.," said Nguyen's uncle. "We hold no grudges against Joseph or the Orbeso family.”

“Rachel possibly injured herself sliding down a cliff and Joseph went after her and took care of her,” Nguyen said.

Her T-shirt was wrapped around her head like a bandage. Her injury, the heat (the temperatures were in the triple digits the days after they were reported missing), the lack of water led them to a point where they wanted to ease their pain, the uncle speculated.

"This is an accident," said Nguyen's aunt, Mong Ha Le. "She had a head injury and he tried to save her the only way he could."

The couple had been missing since July 28 sparking a massive search in Joshua Tree National Park for several weeks. In the following weeks, the search continued on the weekends. 

Their bodies were found Oct. 15. Orbeso's father, who never stopped searching, was part of the team that found the couple.

The Joshua Tree Search and Rescue team said on its Facebook page that it's easy to get lost in the vast park covering more than 1,200 square miles of the Mojave and Colorado deserts, 130 miles (209 kilometers) east of Los Angeles.

"You can take a short hike and lose sight of the road, and, if you didn't pay attention to what the landmarks look like, in the opposite direction, you could start wandering," the team said.

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Authorities say missing hikers deaths was a murder-suicide

The bodies of Joseph Orbeso and Rachel Nguyen were found after three months.

ASAM NEWS

A TRAGIC TURN in the recovery of two bodies in Joshua Tree National Park in California.
Authorities who had first said the couple died after getting lost during a hike now say they died in a murder suicide.

The San Bernardino County Coroner says gunshot wounds were found during the autopsy in the bodies of Joseph Orbeso, 21, and Rachel Nguyen, 20, reports KTLA.

Investigators say Orbeso shot Nguyen and then himself.

RELATED: Found bodies believed to be of missing hikers

“There is no indication that he wanted to harm her; that there was any plan for something like this,” said Cynthia Bachman of the Sheriff’s Department. “We’ll probably never know why it happened.” His motive for doing this, there’s nothing left behind to tell us why.”

The bodies were found after a three month search.

Orbeso’s father said when the bodies were found that the recovery gave him closure.

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Found bodies believed to be missing Asian American couple

Joseph Orbeso, left,  and Rachel Nguyen have been missing since July 28.

TWO BODIES family members believe to be the missing hikers from Southern California were found embracing one another on a trail in Joshua Tree National Park.

The bodies are believed to be Joseph Orbeso, 21, of Lakewood and Rachel Nguyen, 20, of Westminster.

Although the confirmation of the identities await an autopsy report and DNA tests, which could take up to several weeks, Gilbert Orbeso is certain they are his son and his son's girlfriend.

"I feel that we have closure and we know we found them. That was our main goal was to find them ... Hope they can rest in peace now," Gilbert Orbeso said.

The couple had been missing since July 28. Their car was found parked near the entrance to the Maze Loop trail, a 4.5 mile trail that winds through the desert rocks, shrubs and ravines and features several elevation changes as it winds through the remote canyon of the park.

In late July, the temperature reached over 100 degrees.

Sunday, Gilbert Orbeso was part of a search team exploring a wash a few miles from Maze Loop, where he found pieces of clothing, water bottles and food wrappers.

“We know we found them. That was our main goal, to find them,” said Gilbert Orbeso, who frequently joined the months-long search efforts that involved family members, friends, volunteers and law enforcement on the ground and in helicopters.

“I believed that I was going to find them. I didn’t know when, but I had my answer,” he told KESQ.

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