An Illinois man hunting for a cache of jewels and gold allegedly hidden somewhere in the Rocky Mountains plummeted to his death in Yellowstone National Park.
Jeff Murphy is only the latest treasure hunter to fall victim in their quest for Santa Fe author and antiquities dealer Forrest Fenn’s stash of valuables, the Albuquerque Journal reported. The 53-year-old from Batavia was found June 9, a day after his wife reported him missing.
The events surrounding Murphy’s death and the following investigation was kept private until KULR recently obtained a report through the Freedom of Information Act.
Murphy’s wife, when she first reported him missing, told investigators her husband had been hunting for the famed treasure when he disappeared, according to the report.
“It was his past time, Erica Murphy told the Journal. “He loved anything that caused him to use his brain, and loved being out in nature.”
Officials later said he fell nearly 500 feet and ruled his death an accident.
He’s the fourth man in the last two years to die while looking for Fenn’s antique chest, estimated to be worth at least $2 million.
Fenn’s stash sparked a frenzy of sorts for treasure-seeking enthusiasts after the 85-year-old art dealer hinted at it’s locale in a poem found in his 2010 book, “The Thrill of the Chase.”
He’s ignored calls to end the hunt and in the past and has said the trove isn’t located in a dangerous area.
Fenn has advised against going on the treasure hunt during the winter and previously said that “no one should search in a place where an 80-year-old man could not hide it.”
Fenn assisted in the search efforts for a Colorado treasure hunter who went missing in January 2016. Randy Bilyeu’s remains were located along the Rio Grande six month later in July.
The antiquities dealer charted a helicopter for three days to assist in the search efforts. He made a similar offer while authorities hunted for Murphy.
Erica Murphy told the Journal she didn’t blame Fenn for her husband’s death, saying he was aware of the risks and that he “wouldn’t have wanted to hinder anyone” else searching for treasure.
Both Eric Ashby, 31, and Paris Wallace, were also recently found dead after vanishing in their mission to find the hidden jackpot.
