UPDATE: Missing man’s body found on La Quinta Cove hiking trail

October 5, 2020 Trevor Montgomery

UPDATED: Monday, Oct. 5, 2:50 p.m.

See Original and Updated stories below.

LA QUINTA, Calif. — Officials have identified a man whose lifeless body was found near a La Quinta Cove hiking trail yesterday morning. The man had been missing for four days when his body was discovered.

Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner officials this afternoon identified Thomas Stanley Teague, 46, of La Quinta, as the victim.

Although officials have previously said Teague’s body was discovered during a large scale search around 6 a.m., on Sunday, a coroner’s release listed the time of his injury and death as unknown, pending further investigation and a post-mortem examination.

Anyone with additional information regarding this investigation is encouraged to call Investigator Hammond at the Thermal Station at (760) 863-8990. Callers can refer to incident file number LA202770032 and can remain anonymous.

UPDATED: Monday, Oct. 5, 12 p.m.

See Original Story below.

LA QUINTA COVE, Calif. — Missing for four days, authorities say the body of a hiker was found near a La Quinta Cove hiking trail, south of La Quinta and northwest of the Lake Cahuilla Recreation Area, Sunday morning, Oct. 4. The victim had last been seen when he left his home Thursday, Oct. 1.

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Deputies from the Thermal and La Quinta Sheriff Stations were alerted to the man’s disappearance about 1:27 p.m., Saturday afternoon, Oct. 3, after receiving the report of a missing man, Riverside Sheriff’s Sgt. Daniel Porras has since reported. The victim was believed to have been hiking along the La Quinta Cove hiking trail when he went missing.

According to Porras, the hiker had left his La Quinta residence on Oct. 1, and had not returned home or been seen or heard from since.

Although deputies searched the area that day, they were not initially able to locate the missing man.

A command center and base of operations was set up near the La Quinta Cove hiking trail, where officials coordinated their search efforts. La Quinta Sheriff’s Station photo

On Sunday, the day after the hiker was reported missing, volunteer members of the Desert Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Team, with assistance from CHP and Sheriff’s helicopters, were deployed to the area to begin an intensive search for the missing man.

A sheriff’s command center was set up near the trail to facilitate deputies, search and rescue members and others assisting in the search.

At about 6 a.m., the hiker’s lifeless body was discovered off the designated hiking trail, according to Porras.

Neither the victim’s name or age had been released as of this update, and officials have not specified how the man died.

This is a developing story that will be updated as new information becomes available.

Original Story: Search for missing La Quinta Cove hiker continuing.

Originally published: Sunday, Oct. 4, 11 a.m.

LA QUINTA COVE, Calif. — Officials today are continuing to search for a hiker who reportedly went missing while hiking along the La Quinta Cove hiking trail. The missing man was last seen when he left his La Quinta home Thursday, Oct. 1, and he has not been heard from since.

Deputies from the La Quinta Sheriff’s Station notified the public they were searching for the missing hiker in a social media post Sunday morning; telling area residents, “We are looking for a lost hiker. There is no threat to our community.”

Volunteer members of the Desert Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Team, with assistance from CHP and Sheriff’s helicopters, are continuing to search as of this report and no further details have been released.

Officials have not yet released the name or age of the missing man, and say their missing person investigation is ongoing.

This is a developing story that will be updated as new information becomes available.

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Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, 49, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, (the now defunct) Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and Mountain Echo in Shasta County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with other locations.

Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.

Trevor has been married for more than 30 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 18 grandchildren.