LUBBOCK, Texas — Lubbock couple Charles “Gary” Lightfoot, 82, and Linda Eppers Lightfoot, 81, were found dead in Quay County, New Mexico on Tuesday after they went missing following Thanksgiving celebrations.
Panhandle Police Chief Sace Hardman said there was no foul play suspected in their deaths. The couple most likely faced hypothermia, but authorities have not confirmed a cause of death. Their bodies will be taken to Albuquerque for autopsies.
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The Lightfoots left a Thanksgiving celebration in Panhandle around 3:00 p.m. Thursday, November 27, and never arrived back at home in Lubbock. Hardman said that’s when their worried family called authorities, who immediately started searching for the couple. Hardman said their car was last seen in New Mexico near Santa Rosa or San Jon on November 28. A Silver Alert was issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety on November 30, and later canceled on Tuesday afternoon.
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Hardman said law enforcement has been utilizing license plate readers and the car’s GPS as well. Authorities in Texas are coordinating with New Mexico State Police, who assisted with helicopters and drones.
Gary was a longtime law enforcement officer who served in multiple departments including the Lamb County Sheriff’s Office and Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, among a few others. Gary was the Littlefield Police Chief from 1993 to 2003…