Hiker Killed While Searching For Friends Lost In RivCo Mountains

ANZA, CA — A hiker was found dead in the Riverside County mountains over the weekend after he went out to search for his friends who had gone missing, according to authorities.

Deputies responded to the 56000 block of East State Highway 74 in Anza at around 8:30 p.m. Saturday following a call from a member of the group of hikers.

The caller told authorities that four members of their group had left for a hike early that morning and had not returned. A fifth member of the group had at some point left in an attempt to find the missing hikers, according to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.

Deputies used an aircraft to search for the five missing hikers; they located the initial group of four — who had gotten lost — and hoisted them to safety, according to authorities.

The aircraft continued to search the area for the fifth hiker. They located his body near the bottom of a 150-foot rock race. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The hiker's body was recovered from the area and the Riverside County Coroner's Bureau assumed the investigation. His identity has not been released.