ESMERALDA COUNTY, Nev. (KLAS) — The nephew of the missing couple who was driving through Nevada says they have been found shortly after their RV was found empty earlier Tuesday.
Ronnie and Beverly Barker’s nephew Travis Peters tells 8 News Now that authorities from Nye and Mineral Counties confirmed the couple had been found. Peter’s said there is not much information as to the circumstances, other than his uncle Ronnie Barker, 72, was dead and his aunt Beverly Barker, 70, was alive and “OK” and being air-lifted out to a Reno hospital.
Earlier on Tuesday, Peters told 8 News Now, “They discovered the RV this afternoon around noon your time. It’s located on the other side of red mountain I’m not sure exactly where but it’s in the Silver Peak area. Ronnie and Beverly were not with the RV, and the car was gone. All the Deputy could tell us is that it was buried in the mud.”
However, 8 News Now called the Esmeralda County Sheriff’s Office and was told the RV had not been found today. After being told by Peters the couple was found, 8 News Now called Esmeralda County Sheriff’s Office to confirm and the call was disconnected.
Nye County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed the couple was found, but could not provide more information.
Family and friends who are posting updates on social media write that Ronnie and Beverly Barker left Albany, Oregon on March 26 heading for Fallon, Nevada followed by a stop in Las Vegas before continuing on to Tucson on March 29 where they were expected to meet with friends. The Barkers never made it to Tucson.
The Barker’s were driving a 2015 Forest River Sunseeker Class C RV with an Indiana plate C128H. They were also towing a white 2020 Kia Soul LX with an Indiana plate FL211A.
The Nevada Civil Air Patrol (CAP) assisted with the search today but it is not known if one of the air crews spotted the RV or not. According to a spokesperson the CAP assisted with the following personnel and equipment:
- 24 personnel, from Reno, Las Vegas, and Hawthorne.
- Four aircraft were used today, with two additional aircraft on standby.
- Aircraft used were Cessna 182 Turbo, Cessna Turbo 206 and Gippsland GA8.
- Total aircrew time was approximately 12-hours accumulative on Tuesday.
- Terrain varied from open desert to a mountainous region. Covering highways, off-road trails and densely wooded high terrain areas.
This is a developing story and this page will be updated as needed as new information is confirmed by 8 News Now.