What started as a weekend desert ride for a Long Beach motorcyclist ended in heartbreak, after authorities and volunteers called off a weeklong search when Julie Goforth was found dead in the Mojave Desert on Thursday. The 63-year-old had been missing since last Friday after separating from a riding companion at the El Mirage Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area near Adelanto, her family said.
For days, search teams worked the vast dry lakebed and surrounding desert in triple-digit heat while her family put up a $10,000 reward and organized volunteer searches.
According to CBS Los Angeles, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department confirmed that Goforth was found deceased on Thursday at about 12:30 p.m. The department stated that "the circumstances surrounding her death are being investigated" and publicly offered condolences to her family.
Goforth, a retired Long Beach schoolteacher, had left home early that morning to test a new Kawasaki KLX 300R during a group ride, her daughter told the Los Angeles Times. Family accounts say she and a riding partner split up to explore different trails, planning to meet back near the visitor center. When Goforth did not return, the partner went back to the vehicle and found that she was gone. Her daughter and friends then launched searches that included planes, ATVs and volunteer ride-outs.
Search crews and local riders mobilized
Sheriff's Search and Rescue and Aviation units deployed helicopters, search dogs and drones alongside volunteer teams to sweep the 27,000-acre El Mirage area, according to FOX 11 Los Angeles. The community response grew into a coordinated effort, with organized ride-outs and a family-led push that drew OHV riders from across the region.
Officials ask for tips
Authorities are still looking for answers about what happened to Goforth in the hours after she split from her riding partner.
Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Harris at (760) 552-6800 or submit tips anonymously by texting REPORT to We-Tip at 844-909-3006, per CBS Los Angeles. Investigators say they have not released additional details about how Goforth was located and that the inquiry remains active.
Investigation remains open
San Bernardino County officials have not disclosed the cause or manner of death and say the investigation is ongoing, reporting shows. The sheriff's department has thanked the OHV community for its assistance and again urged anyone with information to come forward, as noted by SFGATE.
