James Chatman & Dau. Crystal Tuggle Missing since 2002-Remains found 2010

[MuffyBee]

http://www.krqe.com/dpp/news/environment/family-believes-remains-are-missing-kin
(video)
Family believes remains are missing kin
Park rangers find skeletal remain in lava field
September 22, 2010

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - The family of a father and daughter has been contacted by authorities about the skeletal remains found scattered in a remote area of El Malpais National Monument Tuesday afternoon.

“They haven't told me officially but the odds are pretty high,” Becca Tuggle, mother of 20-year old Crystal Tuggle, said about the fact the remains could be those of her daughter and her daughter’s father.

For 8 years, the Albuquerque family has wondered what happened to their loved ones.

20-year old Crystal Tuggle and 46-year-old James Chatman disappeared in June of 2002.

Their car was found in a parking lot on the national monument grounds near the Tubes area of the monument.

The National Parks Service said clothing and credit cards were found with the bones found at the site by park personnel on Tuesday.

Marilyn Pitney, grandmother of Crystal Tuggle, believes the remains are those of her granddaughter and Crystal’s father.

“It was my expectation that these were our people and now we would at least know because we haven't known,” Pitney said.

An extensive 2002 search by air, on the ground, and underground in the lava tube caves turned up nothing.

Jennifer Tuggle, sister of Crystal Tuggle, says her family is going through a roller coaster of emotions all over again.

“It will be sad and good,” Jennifer Tuggle said. “Sad because there is no chance of them coming home. Good because there will be closure.”

Dave Staggs was a close friend of Crystal Tuggle.

“Closure? Sure,” Staggs said. “Will it help deal with all the emotions that come with it? That's going to be a hard call.”

The family hopes an examination of the remains will help solve the mystery of their disappearance.

Despite feeling sad that the 8-year search appears to have confirmed their fears that the two are dead,

Tuggle’s mother takes some comfort in the events of the past 36-hours.

“I've always known she was in a safe place spiritually, but I've always had nightmares of her body out there,” Becca Tuggle said. “Maybe that will stop.”

National Park Service personnel and the New Mexico State Police continue to work to recover the remains from the monument.

The family says they grateful for all of the efforts, help, and support of the hundreds of people involved in the search for their loved ones over the past 8 years.

[MuffyBee]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hm5ffgoVPtMzy_uAVBRyqsSmlnywD9IEIJSO0
APNewsBreak: Remains identified as missing NM pair

By SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN (AP) – 52 minutes ago

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Officials at New Mexico's El Malpais National Monument say investigators have positively identified remains found in the rugged park as those of a father and daughter who disappeared on a hike eight years ago.

Monument spokeswoman Leslie DeLong says the remains are those of 46-year-old James Chatman and 20-year-old Crystal Tuggle.

The identification came Friday from the Office of the Medical Investigator. DeLong says the remains will be sent to a forensic lab in Texas in an effort to find out more about how the pair died.

Tuggle's sister, Jennifer Tuggle, says there are still many questions to be answered. Chatman and Tuggle were on a day hike among the area's lava beds and tubes, where five other people have gone missing in recent years.

[MuffyBee]

http://www.examiner.com/missing-persons-in-national/mystery-surrounds-deaths-of-father-and-daughter-badlands
(video)
Mystery surrounds deaths of father and daughter in Badlands
September 26, 2010




A father and daughter disappeared eight years ago while on a hiking trip and their remains were found at El Maplais National Monument in New Mexico on Tuesday

A mystery still remains as to how James Chapman, 46 and his daughter, Crystal Tuggle, 20, died.  They had gone to El Malpais for their annual Father's Day/Birthday trip when they just disappeared.  No one knew what had become of them for eight years, until their skeleton remains, along with tattered clothing and weather-worn credit cards were discovered about 5 miles from where they went missing.

To heighten the mystery, five other people have gone missing since, in the same area.

"It just doesn't make sense to me.  There's too many what-ifs where they were found, the time frame.  You can't even comprehend," Jennifer Tuggle, Crystal's older sister told the Associated Press.

When James and his daughter went missing, there was a five day ground and air search with over 250 volunteers and search and rescue dogs searching for them, but they were never found.   

The mystery may remain, because little is left to help determine what happened to them. 

Their remains were positively identified on Friday.

[melisb]

Muffy, thanks for the info...were they found near their campsight?  Did the dogs search where they were found?  God Bless them and their family.  Eight years out there by themselves, how sad.  Now maybe all can at least feel better about knowing they can lay some of the remains to rest and have somewhere to go visit them.