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Updated: Murder-Suicide Leaves Two Dead at Grand Canyon National Park

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on February 6, 2009 - 6:44am

A murder-suicide is suspected in the deaths of an elderly couple in Grand Canyon National Park.

The two bodies discovered in a residential trailer park within the national park early Thursday have been identified as Laurent “Maverick” Gaudreau, 82, and Shirley Gaudreau, 73, both from Grand Canyon, Arizona.

The bodies were discovered early Thursday after a 9-1-1 call was placed to the park's regional communications center. When rangers responded, they found the two victims. Federal Bureau of Investigation agents were then summoned from Phoenix to help with the investigation.

The bodies were transported late Thursday night to the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office, located in Flagstaff, Arizona. Presumptive identification was made Friday morning based on circumstantial evidence, and from marks on scars on the bodies.

Comments

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on February 15, 2009 - 5:01pm.

When Maverick was in his 70's he decided he wanted to hike the Grand Canyon from rim-to-rim 80 times before his 80th birthday. He exceeded his goal, wore out who knows how many pairs of shoes, and always had a smile and a story for my tour groups as we lunched on the porch of the Bright Angel Lodge. Thanks, Maverick. We'll see you down by the creek...