Home / Crime and Justice / Missing Hiker William Ott ID'd from Remains Found Near Grand Canyon
Missing Hiker William Ott ID'd from Remains Found Near Grand Canyon
24 Jul
Summary
- William Ott, missing since 2012, identified from remains found in 2023.
- Ott disappeared during a solo hike in a remote Grand Canyon area.
- Hualapai Tribe members discovered the remains near the original search area.
Human remains discovered in Arizona in December 2023 have led to the identification of William Ott, who went missing during a solo hike in the Grand Canyon in 2012. The Coconino County Sheriff's Office announced the identification, confirming the remains belonged to the 65-year-old hiker.
Ott was reported missing in May 2012 after failing to return from a three-week through-hike on the Hualapai Indian reservation, an area he had previously traversed. Despite extensive initial searches by multiple agencies, his whereabouts remained unknown for nearly 15 years.
Members of the Hualapai Tribe found the remains in December 2023 near the original search area. DNA analysis by authorities confirmed the identity of the remains as William Ott. He was an experienced hiker known for completing a traverse of the Grand Canyon in 1981 and was reportedly searching for ancient rock art panels at the time of his disappearance.
