Napa, CA — Authorities discovered the body of Hannah Moody, a 31-year-old social media influencer from California, near a hiking trail in Arizona on May 22, just hours after she shared her final post on Instagram. Moody had been reported missing the previous evening.
Her remains were found near the Gateway Trailhead of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale, roughly a third of a mile from the trail where she had been hiking. Moody’s vehicle remained parked in the trailhead lot.
The Scottsdale Police Department described the discovery as a “heartbreaking development” in the search that began on the evening of May 21. Despite extensive efforts involving foot patrols, drones, and assistance from a Phoenix Police Department helicopter, initial attempts to locate Moody were unsuccessful until the next day.
Moody, who had recently relocated to Arizona from California, was an avid hiker and regularly posted about her outdoor adventures on Instagram, where she had approximately 45,000 followers. In recent months, she had shifted her social media focus toward hiking and nature content.
Friends and family believe that heat exhaustion may have contributed to her death, as temperatures in Scottsdale reached 106 degrees Fahrenheit on May 22. Police reported no obvious signs of foul play or trauma at the scene.
Brian Whitehead, senior program manager at the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy, noted that the shoulder seasons—spring and fall—can be particularly dangerous for hikers in Arizona. “Warm days catch people by surprise,” Whitehead explained. “Even locals who have spent all winter outside are not used to the heat anymore, which means most of our heat rescues happen during the shoulder seasons.”
According to reports, Moody began her hike around 11:30 a.m. on May 21, as indicated by a video she posted on Instagram. The story, which disappeared automatically after 24 hours, was captioned, “Conquering this trail as a last hurrah before summer hits.”
Police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding Moody’s death in cooperation with the Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner, who will determine the official cause of death.
Moody’s family described her as someone who deeply appreciated the natural beauty of the desert and sought to share that connection through her social media presence. Her father, John Moody, told KPNX shortly before the discovery, “She really likes the desert … she likes to experience that and see all the beauty of God’s creation.”