PEORIA, Ariz. - Investigators don’t think there was foul play, but they are still trying to figure out why a man and his girlfriend were at the Grand Canyon and how they fell to the bottom of the South Rim.
Park officials say Garret Bonkowski, 25, and his girlfriend, Jessica Bartz, 22, were found Oct. 1 by hikers, specifically below Trailview 2. However, their bodies weren’t recovered until two days later because of bad weather conditions.
Park officials believe the Peoria couple entered the park Sept. 18 and fell to the bottom of the South Rim around that date.
“I think mostly likely that it was an accident. And I think very possibly that he was trying to help her,” said Jennifer Follis, Garret’s mom.
Follis says the couple was headed for Iowa. They were moving there to be with Jessica’s family, but apparently no one was aware of the their stop at the Grand Canyon.
Despite attempts calling Garret, Jennifer says she never heard from them after they left her home Sept. 17.
“My main thought was that they were just kind of somewhere and ignoring people and not responding,” Follis said.
Park officials are now hoping someone knows something about their death.
“They were an amazing couple very loving to each other. I got the impression that it wasn’t planned… that maybe they decided to go there,” Follis said.
If you have information that could help investigators, please call or text 888-653-0009. Tips can also be submitted online here or by email at nps_isb@nps.gov.