Other human remains found near Colorado River after recovering body of another man

Updated: Oct 9, 2020 / 03:30 PM CDT

PAGE, AZ – MARCH 30: The Colorado River wraps around Horseshoe Bend on March 30, 2015 in Page, Arizona. As severe drought grips parts of the Western United States, a below average flow of water is expected to flow through the Colorado River Basin into two of its biggest reservoirs, Lake Powell and Lake Mead. Lake Powell is currently at 45 percent of capacity, a recent study predicts water elevation there to be above 3,575 by September. The Colorado River Basin supplies water to 40 million people in seven western states. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

COCONINO COUNTY, Ariz. (NewsNation Now) — The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office in Arizona discovered human bones while trying to rescue another man.

It happened Sunday, Oct. 6, just after 9:00 a.m. at the Glen Canyon Dam Overlook near Page, Arizona.

The National Parks Service reports witnesses saw a young man taking pictures of the Colorado River atop a cliff when he fell approximately 100 feet. The man slid about 150 more feet after the fall.

The sheriff’s office and park rangers went to rescue him, but found him unresponsive. The victim was declared dead and identified as Orlando Serrano-Arzola, 25, of Phoenix.

*Colorado River from the Dam Overlook*. Courtesy: National Parks Service

Jon Paxton, Public Information Officer with the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, said park rangers were hiking to find Serrano-Arzola when they stumbled upon the human bones.

Paxton said all discoveries of human remains trigger an immediate homicide investigation unless the medical examiner determines no foul play was involved. Paxton told NewsNation the medical examiner is still looking at the bones so it is unclear who the person was or how they died.

According to Paxton, this is a popular tourist overlook.

Serrano-Arzola’s autopsy results have not been released yet.

The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office plans to issue a news release when they learn more about the human bones.