Missing man Richard Myers' body found in Bartlett Lake after disappearing from event

Deputies recovered a man’s body at Bartlett Lake on Sunday, one day after his friends reported him missing, according to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.

The body of Richard “Richie” Myers was found in Bartlett Lake, northeast of Scottsdale in the Tonto National Forest, after he attended a camping event there on Saturday, sheriff’s office spokesperson Calbert Gillett wrote. Myers’ friend McKenzie Philbrick reported him missing to the sheriff’s office just before 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, as she said he had not been seen for four hours, according to Gillett.

Myers, 46, was at the lake with a group of friends who were all attending Bartlett Bash, an LGBTQ+ camping event held there, Gillett stated. Philbrick told deputies that Myers disappeared from the group at about 4 p.m. after he was last seen walking into the water at the Bartlett Flats area of the lake, where the group was camping.

When deputies arrived, Philbrick brought them to a “rock finger” that branched out from the shore into the lake’s open water where she said Myers was last seen, Gillett wrote. She told deputies that Myers had not returned since. Prior to his disappearance, witnesses told deputies that Myers had been walking from camp to camp, “partying” at all the campsites, according to Gillett.

Gillett stated that deputies tried to find Myers in the water of the lake on Saturday, but they could not see him due to darkness and nearby trailer lights.

On Sunday, Gillett wrote that deputies returned to Bartlett Lake to look for Myers after they received no updates that he had been found. After using a boat’s sonar to scan the lake, deputies discovered an area with three “abnormalities,” Gillett stated.

Deputies deployed an underwater robot in that area to try to locate Myers, and his body was found and recovered, according to Gillett. When deputies found Myers’ body, they discovered his ears had scratches and his left eye was red, Gillett stated.

Gillett wrote that it was believed Myers attempted to walk on a rock formation along the lake and might have fallen, hit his head and gone into the water. Foul play was not suspected in Myers’ death, and alcohol might have played a role in the incident, according to Gillett.

Gillett stated that the Medical Examiner had taken custody of Myers’ body and was slated to release reports on his death. The incident was still under investigation, according to Gillett.

Madeline Nguyen is a breaking news reporter for The Republic. Reach her at Madeline.Nguyen@gannett.com or 480-619-0285. Follow her on X @madelineynguyen.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Richard Myers found dead in Bartlett Lake after disappearing Saturday