Go Back
  • For Business
  • |
  • Warnings
  • Data Suite
  • Newsletters
  • Advertising
  • Superior Accuracy™
A week after deadly Texas flooding, hope fades but resilience grows. Chevron right
Recovery teams, displaced residents in Texas face brutal heat. Chevron right

Columbus, OH

69°F
Location Chevron down
Location News Videos
Use Current Location
Recent

Columbus

Ohio

69°
No results found.
Try searching for a city, zip code or point of interest.
settings
Columbus, OH Weather
Today WinterCast Local {stormName} Tracker Hourly Daily Radar MinuteCast Monthly Air Quality Health & Activities

Around the Globe

Hurricane Tracker

Severe Weather

Radar & Maps

News

News & Features

Astronomy

Business

Climate

Health

Recreation

Sports

Travel

For Business

Warnings

Data Suite

Newsletters

Advertising

Superior Accuracy™

Video

Winter Center

AccuWeather Early Hurricane Center Top Stories Trending Today Astronomy Heat Climate Health Recreation In Memoriam Case Studies Blogs & Webinars

News / Weather News

Man found dead in Death Valley following record-breaking heat

The 67-year-old man, who left a crumpled note with just three words written on it in his car before he died, was found by park visitors just feet from the highway.

By Zachary Rosenthal, AccuWeather staff writer

Published Jun 16, 2022 11:26 AM EDT | Updated Jun 16, 2022 12:25 PM EDT

Copied

A person walks on a boardwalk at the salt flats at Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park, Calif. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Visitors to Death Valley National Park made a grisly discovery earlier this week: the body of a man who appeared to succumb to extreme temperatures during a record-setting June heat wave.

The deceased, 67-year-old David Kelleher of Huntington Beach, California, appeared to have run out gas while traveling through the California park, which has some of the hottest and most extreme weather on Earth. Temperatures rose to a sweltering 123 degrees Fahrenheit on June 10, shattering the daily record high of 120 set in 1994.

In a statement, the National Park Service wrote that Kelleher’s vehicle was found in the parking lot of Zabriskie Point, a popular hiking area and a top spot for visitors to view the sunrise and sunset. A park ranger noticed the vehicle, which was the only one in the parking lot on June 8. Three days later, the ranger noticed the vehicle for a second time, as it was once again the last vehicle in the lot.

A closer inspection of the vehicle revealed a crumbled note inside that read "out of gas."

Soon after, a ground and aerial search was launched for Kelleher. On June 14, Kelleher’s body was discovered by park visitors about 2 1/2 miles from their vehicle. The body was found just 30 feet away from California Highway 190, a popular route through the park, obscured by the terrain and trees.

Premium and diesel fuel prices exceed $9 per gallon at Furnace Creek, California. (Twitter/Peter Tellone)

Based on where his body was discovered, park rangers think Kelleher might have been walking to get gas at Furnace Creek. Gas prices at the isolated gas station are the most expensive in the entire country at nearly $9 per gallon for regular gasoline.

Kelleher had been in the park for some time; he was cited by an officer for off-road driving on May 30, and on that same day mentioned to a park ranger that he was low on gas.

The NPS says that in the event that a tourist’s car runs out of gas while driving through Death Valley, people should wait at their vehicle for help to arrive rather than walk to find assistance.

Heat is the most deadly weather-related killer, killing 138 people a year on average in the United States alone. Last year, an unprecedented and record-setting heat wave killed hundreds of people in the Pacific Northwest and Canada.

SEE ALSO:

One creative endeavor is taking the American flag to historic heights
Explorers find ‘holy grail’ of shipwrecks is not alone in the deep sea
The one day in recorded history when snow fell in the hottest place on earth

Want next-level safety, ad-free? Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alerts™ are prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer.

Report a Typo
Comments that don't add to the conversation may be automatically or manually removed by Facebook or AccuWeather. Profanity, personal attacks, and spam will not be tolerated.
Comments
Hide Comments

Weather News

Weather News

A week after deadly Texas flooding, hope fades but resilience grows

Jul. 10, 2025
Severe Weather

Rounds of severe storms to rattle, drench central US

Jul. 11, 2025
video

Abandoned cars submerged by severe flooding in North Carolina

Jul. 10, 2025
video

Before-and-after pictures show devastation caused by Texas floods

Jul. 9, 2025
Severe Weather

Severe weather to rumble in the central US through the holiday weekend

Jul. 6, 2025
Weather News

Record sargassum seaweed piles up on Caribbean islands, Gulf

Jul. 2, 2025
Weather News

Alabama teen in ICU after lightning strike hits boat, causing burns an...

Jul. 2, 2025
Show more Show less Chevron down

Topics

AccuWeather Early

Hurricane Center

Top Stories

Trending Today

Astronomy

Heat

Climate

Health

Recreation

In Memoriam

Case Studies

Blogs & Webinars

Top Stories

Weather Forecasts

Texas Hill Country recovery, cleanup teams to face brutal July weather

12 minutes ago

Weather News

State inspection before floods found Camp Mystic had emergency plan

22 hours ago

Weather News

Deadly flash flooding devastates wildfire-scarred New Mexico town

9 hours ago

Astronomy

1st full moon of summer to rise Thursday night

1 day ago

Weather News

Most Texas flood victims face devastation without flood insurance

19 hours ago

More Stories

Featured Stories

Health

How can families handle new anxieties around summer camp?

16 hours ago

AccuWeather Ready

Floodwater rising in your house? Do this

2 days ago

Weather News

Orcas are bringing humans gifts of food – but why?

15 hours ago

Weather News

Earthquake swarm detected at Mount Rainier, biggest since 2009

20 hours ago

Weather News

The US has a plan to breed millions of flies and drop them from planes

16 hours ago

AccuWeather Weather News Man found dead in Death Valley following record-breaking heat
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs AccuWeather Connect RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™ Personal Weather Stations
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Winter Center
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs AccuWeather Connect RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™ Personal Weather Stations
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Winter Center
© 2025 AccuWeather, Inc. "AccuWeather" and sun design are registered trademarks of AccuWeather, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | About Your Privacy Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

...

...

...