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Reward Tripled For Case Of Ranger Who Disappeared Nearly 40 Years Ago

In January 1980, Paul Fugate left the Chiricahua National Monument visitor center where he worked. At about 2 p.m., he went for a hike on a trail and disappeared.

An extensive search never turned him up. The Park Service offered $20,000 for information and that’s gone unclaimed. Now it’s offering $60,000 to adjust for inflation.

The Cochise County Sheriff’s Office recently took on the cold case, said Park Service spokeswoman Libby Shaaf.

"Currently Paul Fugate is the only Park Service ranger to ever disappear and never been found," she said.

The agency hopes someone 40 years later will be motivated to help them solve the mystery.

Fronteras Desk senior editor Michel Marizco is an award-winning investigative reporter based in Flagstaff.