was ruled an accident, authorities said Tuesday.
The
determination followed several days of mystery about the death of Walter
Scheib, who vanished during a solo hike in the mountains of northern
New Mexico and was found dead Sunday night after a weeklong search.
There was no sign of foul play, State Police Sgt. Elizabeth Armijo said.
Scheib recently moved from Florida to Taos. He was 61.
Scheib's girlfriend reported him
missing after he failed to return from a June 13 hike in the mountains
near the Taos Ski Valley. Three days later, Taos police found Scheib's
vehicle at the Yerba Canyon trailhead. The 4-mile trail follows a canyon
bottom before climbing to 3,700 feet in elevation.
As
the search progressed, state police exhausted all resources, from the
National Guard to the U.S. Air Force. High mountain peaks, deep canyons
and dense vegetation made the air search difficult, while the rough
terrain hampered efforts on the ground.
Thunderstorms
stalled the air search last Thursday, but ground crews continued. That
evening, data from Scheib's cellphone helped to pinpoint his last
location, and the search was expanded.
On
Sunday, a search dog indicated a possible scent, and the National Guard
ground team found Scheib's body in a section of land through which
water was draining down the canyon. He was about 25 yards from the trail
and hidden from view by dense vegetation and a steep, rocky slope.
Scheib was wearing a light windbreaker, running pants and tennis shoes. No other belongings were found in the area, police said.
Scheib
spent 11 years leading the White House kitchen under Clinton and Bush
after first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton became impressed by his cooking
while he was working as a chef at a West Virginia resort.
Scheib
was known for refocusing the White House kitchen on distinctly American
cuisine with seasonal ingredients and contemporary flavors. He was
responsible for preparing everything from First Family meals to formal
State Dinners. Both presidential families said Monday they were saddened
by his tragic death.
A
graduate of New York's Culinary Institute of America in 1979, Scheib
went on to work at grand hotels in Florida and West Virginia before
becoming White House executive chef in 1994.
Scheib
left the White House in 2005. He became a food consultant and speaker,
often entertaining guests with anecdotes from his time at the White
House. He also wrote a book about his experiences entitled "White House
Chef: Eleven Years, Two Presidents, One Kitchen." He appeared on the
Food Network's "Iron Chef America" show in 2006.
Source: AP
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