Elderly Texas couple missing since Thanksgiving found dead

DALLAS – Authorities in New Mexico found the bodies of an elderly couple from Texas who had been missing since Thanksgiving.

What’s new:

The Carson County Sheriff’s Office said 82-year-old Charles “Gary” Lightfoot and 81-year-old Linda Lightfoot were found dead on Tuesday in a rural area of New Mexico near Tucumcari.

They were near their car in a pasture and are believed to have died from hypothermia, according to ABC 7 in Amarillo.

What they’re saying:

“We would like to thank the public and all agencies involved. We would also like to offer condolences to the family and friends of the Lightfoots as this is a tragic event,” the Carson County Sheriff’s Office said on social media.

The backstory:

A Silver Alert was issued last week for the Lightfoots.

The couple went missing in their silver 2024 Toyota Camry after visiting friends in Panhandle, Texas for the holiday. They left around 3 p.m. on Friday but never made it home to Lubbock.

Authorities were worried about their safety because neither had a cellphone, and Gary was oxygen dependent.

Their car was also spotted on camera in Groom, Texas and then in Santa Rosa, New Mexico the next day.