In August of 2000, the dry heat of West Texas became the backdrop for one of the state’s most haunting mysteries. Samuel Jones, a respected geology teacher from Houston, was known for his meticulous nature and love of the outdoors. That summer, he planned what seemed like a straightforward but memorable adventure: a father–daughter trip to Guadalupe Peak, the tallest point in Texas.
The unanswered questions haunted her. Had they lost their way? Been caught in a storm? Or crossed paths with someone else on the trail? For 13 years, the mystery lingered with no resolution. Then, in September 2013, two seasoned hikers ventured off the established trails into steep, rarely traveled terrain. From a distance, they saw a strip of fabric fluttering on a cliffside. Approaching cautiously, they found a sun-bleached tent anchored to a ledge with bolts. Inside were human remains, later confirmed through dental records to be those of Samuel and Simone.
But the discovery raised more questions. The ledge was extremely difficult to access, requiring climbing skills Samuel wasn’t known to possess. The bolts used to secure the tent were heavy-duty, not the sort typically used by recreational campers. The site suggested someone else may have been involved. Among the belongings were two weathered backpacks, a corroded camp stove, and Simone’s sketchbook. While most pages were ruined, a few had survived. One drawing depicted Samuel and Simone hiking together, but behind them was a third figure wearing a wide-brimmed hat with shaded eyes. Next to the figure Simone had written a single name: Caleb. Detective Angela Miller, reviewing the evidence, dug into park records and found a 1999 report about a man named Caleb Brody, who had harassed a family near the park.
He had once lived on the park’s edge, working briefly for a concessionaire, before selling his property and leaving after the Joneses disappeared. When investigators eventually located Brody in Oregon, he denied any connection to Samuel or Simone. With no physical evidence linking him to the case, prosecutors declined to pursue charges, and the deaths remained officially undetermined. Some search team members later admitted that early assumptions about a simple hiking accident may have limited the initial investigation. The lack of definitive forensic evidence left Eleanor without the answers she had long sought. Today, Simone’s preserved sketches remain in Eleanor’s care, serving as both personal treasures and powerful reminders of the importance of thorough, unbiased investigations in missing person cases.
Eleanor has shared the story in the hope that it inspires future search and rescue efforts to consider every possibility, no matter how unlikely. Samuel and Simone’s trip was meant to be about sharing time together under the stars, but it ended in uncertainty. What remains are fragments of their journey—maps, notes, and Simone’s haunting sketches. Their memory endures in the rugged peaks they once climbed and in the determination of those who continue to seek the truth about what happened on Guadalupe Peak all those years ago.