 Four German tourists who literally vanished in Death Valley National Park in 1996 included (top, l-r) Egbert Rimkus, his son, Georg Weber, 10, and Rimkus’ girlfriend, Cornelia Meyer. Not shown is Meyer’s 4-year-old son, Max, who also disappeared. Recent evidence was found 5-6 miles from where their rental car was found 13 years ago (above) that may be a clue to the tourists’ fate. Photos courtesy of San Bernardino Sun By Mike Bodine
Register Staff
11-17-2009 The recent discovery of bones and identification linked to four German tourists who vanished in Death Valley more than 13 years ago has reignited interest in a case that has baffled many investigators, from local law enforcement to private and amateur investigators from Europe and beyond.
Current Inyo County Undersheriff Jim Jones, a lead investigator on the case back in 1996, said Monday that he’s not all that surprised it’s taken so long to get some clues.
Death Valley “is such a vast area,” he said. “It’s like trying to find a needle in a haystack.”
The Goler Wash and Anvil Canyon Springs area are rugged four-wheel drive country, hardly fit for the rented minivan the four were driving and eventually got stuck at.
Driving the van was either 33-year-old Egbert Rimkus or 28-year-old Cornelia Meyer, both of Dresden. Their passengers were Rimkus’ 10-year-old son, Georg Weber, and Meyer’s son, Max, 4.
Bones and an ID belonging to one the Germans were found Thursday 5-6 miles to the southeast “as the crow flies” from where the van was discovered in 1996 with flat tires in Anvil Springs Canyon wash.
“They were trying to four-wheel drive up this canyon that we even have a hard time getting up” in properly equipped vehicles, Jones said.
Jones added that the van had been locked, but some personal items were strewn about outside. However, there was no sign the tourists ever returned to the van.
Adding to the mystery of this case is that the tourists left no itinerary or indication of where they were headed. Jones also said, “There was nothing that indicated foul-play at the scene when we found it (the van).”
The van was found in October 1996, reported stolen July 26 from the Dollar Rent-A-Car agency at Los Angeles International Airport. The tourists had been last seen in Las Vegas when they checked out of the Treasure Island Hotel on July 22. Not long after the rental car was due on July 26, concerned family members in Germany faxed the rental car company inquiring whether the rental car had been returned, because Rimkus and Meyer had not come home as scheduled. The family filed a missing persons report not long after.
Conspiracy theories about the missing couple have ranged from a child-custody situation – i.e., a staged disappearance – or even a murder-suicide attempt. The couple were boyfriend and girlfriend, both recently divorced from their spouses, on vacation with each of their young sons.
“There have been all kinds of theories,” Jones said, “Especially with an actual disappearance.”
Jones said exposure to the elements – they were traveling in Death Valley in the summer – has always been a likely factor in the demise of the tourists.
And, Jones added, it is likely that animals have carried and scattered the bones as well. The bones are being handled by the Coroner’s Office where a forensic anthropologist will attempt to lift some DNA off the bones for identification. Jones said the bones may be too weathered and worn to extract any genetic material, but tests will be done and it could take “quite a while” before results are obtained.
Inyo County and U.S. authorities are working with German officials on the investigation, Jones added.
He said that “some identification” had been found near the bones belonging to one of the tourists, but he said he could give no further details as to exactly what was found. He said German relatives will first be notified, and the investigation into the bones could reveal that they belong to more than one of the missing tourists.
“We’ll be setting up another search in the area and look for more remains,” Jones said.
He added that interest about the case has been piqued since the new discovery, especially for German media, as Death Valley is a very popular tourist destination for Germans.
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