Authorities release new information about body found at South Mountain in Phoenix

Authorities on Thursday released the identity of the man whose body was found at South Mountain Park and Preserve in Phoenix earlier this week.

Michael Jules Goldberg, 78, died after apparently suffering from a medical event, the Phoenix Police Department announced.

The Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office will make a final determination about his cause of death.

There are no signs of foul play, police added.

Rescue crews were dispatched to the park’s Mormon Trail around 5:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning, according to the Phoenix Fire Department.

They hiked about a mile up the trail and found Goldberg unresponsive. He could not be resuscitated.

A police helicopter was used to remove the body from the mountain.

It was revealed later that Phoenix park rangers had discovered an abandoned vehicle at a South Mountain parking lot on Friday. Phoenix and Tempe police filed a missing person’s report on Sunday after checking records and connecting the vehicle to the Goldberg’s home, which was empty when authorities conducted a welfare check.

His body was discovered around 2 a.m. Tuesday, but police said a rescue team was not called upon until sunrise “given the conditions at the time.”

Goldberg was known to hike frequently in the area.

South Mountain has seen 2 deaths this month

Two people have now died while hiking at South Mountain this month.

A man died after falling while hiking on the Mormon Trail on June 8.

The Mormon Trail is a popular 1.1-mile path that is rated as moderate/difficult, according to the South Mountain Park website. It is steep in parts and has an elevation change of 720 feet.

The Mormon Trailhead is near 24th Street on the north side of the sprawling recreation area.

This is an updated version of a story originally published June 16, 2026.

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