facebook-pixel

Woman who died in apparent accident at Antelope Island identified Sunday

Officials believe she fell and hit her head while hiking, FOX 13 reports.

(Trent Nelson  |  Tribune file photo) Samantha Weigel, 40, died Friday while hiking alone at Antelope Island, shown in the foreground in 2020.

(Trent Nelson | Tribune file photo) Samantha Weigel, 40, died Friday while hiking alone at Antelope Island, shown in the foreground in 2020.

Samantha Weigel, 40, from Syracuse was found dead Friday after suffering serious head and neck injuries while on a hike around the island, according to a release Sunday from the Utah Department of Natural Resources.

She had been dropped off to hike by herself around 6 a.m. Friday and was reported missing by friends and family after she didn’t return at the pre-determined time. At about 6 p.m., the Utah Department of Public Safety and Davis County Search and Rescue began the search. A helicopter crew spotted her from the air near Elephant Head and Split Rock Bay at about 7 p.m.

Upon arrival, the medical examiner confirmed Weigel was dead and noted that foul play wasn’t expected, though her death remains under investigation. Members of the Davis County Search and Rescue team recovered her body around 11 p.m.

The woman appeared to have died from falling and hitting her head, a Utah State Parks spokesperson told FOX 13.

Editor’s note: The Salt Lake Tribune and FOX 13 are content-sharing partners.


Support free news for Utah

sltrib.com is now free to access — no subscription required. We made this decision because we believe access to trustworthy, independent news shouldn’t depend on what you can afford — especially as misinformation and AI-generated content continue to rise.

Free to read doesn’t mean free to produce. Our reporters show up every day to ask hard questions and hold powerful institutions to account. That work takes resources. As a nonprofit newsroom, we rely on support from people who believe it matters. Make a donation today to fund local news that serves Utah communities.

You can help us bring more local news to more communities today.