The Search for the Death Valley Germans

Four German tourists came to America in July 1996 and never made it back home. Their van was found in a remote part of Death Valley National Park. What happened to them?

00:00 - Prologue
04:35 - Chapter I: The 13-Year Long Manhunt
07:06 - Chapter II: Theories
08:25 - Chapter III: The Eventual Resolution
11:59 - Epilogue

[evadietz]

Not only did they go into Death Valley unprepared, but they also went there in the summer when temperatures are at their highest. It’s all very tragic. I hope they all rest in peace

[LittleMerrow]

The hottest day of the year for Death Valley in 1996 was July 26, hitting 125F (51C). It would have been in the low 120’s when they went missing, with close to 0% humidity. I’m from Vegas, I’ve hiked Death Valley multiple times. People joke about “dry heat” but if your body isn’t acclimated to it, the desert will dehydrate you in minutes.

[eltoroloco]

Imagine taking a place called "Death Valley" for granted. They aren't the only ones and wont be the last. Don't visit or hike there on a whim and if you do, plan for it like your life depends on it because, simply, it does. Rest in Peace to this family and all the others who were lost to the desert.

[Itriedtakennames]

I have twice seen very bright, educated people from Europe who demonstrated they had no idea how huge the US is. For example, living in Virginia, some friends visiting from the UK asked if we could drive to California for the weekend. They were shocked to hear it was a weeks hard drive to reach CA. This belief that you can cross the US in a day or two may have contributed to these deaths

[chonchan]

I recently drove through Death Valley and I am very thankful I followed my instincts and avoided the unpaved roads. There is no reception and barely any human beings out there. I also underestimated how massive the Park is. It took me several hours to get out of the park and another hour until I finally got reception at Ridgecrest. It was a different level of fear knowing if my car broke down, I’d be really screwed

[johnjones]

Stopping for a beer on a death march. The most German thing ever.

[katraylor]

This is so sad. : ( Almost the same thing happened in the Kim family case in 2006: they took the wrong road, kept going instead of turning around, and got stuck in inclement weather (snow, in that case). The husband went off looking for help by himself and ended up dying, though fortunately in that case the wife and two daughters survived. I just wish people wouldn't take risks like that with children along with them.

[jordantoxicity]

As someone who lives in the socal desert and has done SAR, people who don't grow up in this type of environment completely underestimate the elements. During the pandemic, I saw a ton of suburban and beach dwelling people saying they were going to Joshua tree during triple digit heatwave weeks. I tried to convince them not to constantly because you really don't know how 120 F dry heat feels in a place that has 0 coverage. It's full exposure, all day, every day. Death valley has hit the world record for the hottest temperature recorded two years in a row now. I hadn't really gotten into this case, but the theory is definitely entirely possible. I also don't know why the dad would drink a beer of all things while walking in the desert but here we are.

[tammymartinez]

Geologist cabin was operating. It’s a volunteer cabin. They probably didn’t know that they had to put the flag up to show people were there.

[Ryan-bweb]

I went to Death Valley last year. At one point our car got stuck on the smallest bit. It was a four wheel drive off-road car. I don’t think that anyone can possibly comprehend the hostility from such a land as Death Valley.

[dingdud]

This is the type of video I showed my sister before she traveled to the us with her fiancé. They wanted to visit Death Valley so I forced them to watch a video about people dying in the national park so they’d stay on the main roads.

[pinkfreud]

They just should have turned around. They were at the most, 20 miles from Bad Water Rd, the paved road into civilization. Even if the van broke down half way on the return, they could have waited until cool night fall and walked. Better than dying out in the desert. I've been to DV several times and I stay on paved roads. Never underestimate DV.

[SaarKing]

I am German, and this year I went to the US for the first time. I had my trip planned well, and already knew the US are huge. But the on-site experience itself was incredible in terms of distances. Especially when you pass a warning sign that says, in essence, "remember there is NOTHING but rocks and pastures for the next 150 miles". And that Google Maps takes gravel roads for highways sometimes 😅 Lesson learned! The next trip is already in planning stage. If a US citizen comes to central Europe, he must feel like in an open-air prison, as compared to many parts of the US, Europe is so narrow and crowded. I can somehow understand that people like the ones in the video make such mistakes.

[gracemarydelossantos]

People and their fascination to go to deadly places by their own, it's almost haunting. There's a travel agency (From Germany) that is offering services by taking tourist to the border between Panama/Colombia, deadly not only by the weather and the conditions of this type of rainforest jungle, but also by the guerrillas, narcos, etc. People take a lot for granted. Please do not risk your life like that.

[traviskelly]

Beer, wine, bourbon and almost no water -- in a place called Death Valley in summer, where avg. daytime temp is 117 degs. F. Lesson: never go far from civilization with a guy named Egbert.

[turnpiketumbler]

What on earth were they thinking? I'm not from the States, but i know it's called Death Valley for a reason. (usually anything called Death or Devils is bad news right, and that's not exclusive to the States either. )

Would you think that trying to cross Death Valley in a Chrysler Voyager with a young family, scarce supplies and being tight on time, is a bad idea or a good one?
Can't imagine what it must have been like for them when they realised that they were stranded in Death Valley with no supplies and two small

[marleneg]

It was just 4 miles back to the Geo shed. Fully stocked food and water.
Pretty sure they were impared to choose to hike 9 miles in the other direction.

[scott]

In the Marines I've experienced extremely hot climates, the Middle East, the equator in Africa but I swear to god one of the most hottest places I've ever been is MCB 29 Palms, CA...the heat there is simply brutal. Death Valley is absolutely no joke and the elements there will disorient you and kill you quickly. That poor German family had no idea their death was certain the moment they drove into that canyon.

[Mossarellasticks]

this isn’t really relating to the video but the amount of detail and information unpredictable has in their videos is amazing and very much my favorite true crime channel and i believe it’s super underrated

[joshbau]

Drove from Joshua tree to the Grand Canyon today, it was 47°c in some places on the way, couldn’t imagine how terrible it would be getting stuck and walking in the endless dessert not being found for 13 years