As the holiday season swirls around us, it is easy to get swept away in the chaos. From fretting about making the perfect holiday dinner to stressing about squeezing in traditions while shopping from a long list, it is kind of hard not to. Yet every time when we finally get to the day, I’m keenly aware of how pointless it was to fuss. All that matters is that my loved ones are there together and we’re making as many memories together as possible.
One Texas family got a stark reminder of how fleeting those precious moments are when tragedy struck the day after Thanksgiving. On November 28, 2025, the Texas Department of Public Safety sent out a silver alert for Charles “Gary” and Linda Lightfoot, who went missing on their way home after attending a family dinner. People reported that after days of searching, on December 2 the couple’s bodies were uncovered in a “very rural” area in Quay County, New Mexico.
“We would like to thank the public and all agencies involved,” wrote the Carson County Sheriff’s office in the upsetting update. “We would also like to offer condolences to the family and friends of the Lightfoot’s as this is a tragic event.”
Community members showed their support in the comments of the update.
“It’s so upsetting reading this,” empathized one follower. “I was really hoping that we would find them maybe. That’s the problem with New Mexico it’s so open with lots of areas with nothing around no gas stations no bathrooms no businesses. My heart goes out to the family at this time.”
“This is a wake up call that all of us, especially the elderly, need to have GPS tracking enabled, cell phones and chargers and supplies in our vehicles even if we’re only traveling a short distance away,” added another commenter.
The couple was making their way back to Lubbock, Texas, which was about 150 miles away from where the Thanksgiving celebration took place. The family reported that they left about 3 p.m. and neither had a cellphone or trackable device. According to News Nation, Panhandle Police Chief Sace Hardman shared that it was likely the couple died from hypothermia and authorities suspect no foul play. Thus far, however, no official cause of death has been issued. Their bodies were taken to Albuquerque, New Mexico, for autopsies.
The pair had been married for more than 60 years. Gary Lightfoot had served for years as a law enforcement officer. He spent time working for the Lamb County Sheriff’s Office, the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, and other departments. He also served as Littlefield police chief from 1993 to 2003, according to a report by Everything Lubbock.
