On the morning of June 2, 2017, the serene landscape near the Wahweap Swim Beach at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area was disturbed by a grim discovery. Raelle Begay, a 25-year-old female resident of Page, Arizona, was found deceased in a vehicle in the parking area. Her life had been cut short by an apparent gunshot wound. The tragic scene extended to the nearby beach, where authorities also located the body of 37-year-old Matthew Franklin, another Page resident.
The subsequent
investigation, a coordinated effort by the Coconino County Sheriff's Office, Kane County Sheriff's Office, and the National Park Service, painted a somber picture of the events leading to the two deaths. Evidence and witness accounts suggested a tumultuous relationship between Begay and Franklin. Witnesses reported seeing the couple engaged in a heated argument in the parking lot at approximately 2:00 a.m. on the day their bodies were discovered.
Investigators believe the incident was a murder-suicide, stemming from an act of domestic violence. The prevailing theory is that Franklin shot Begay before taking his own life. A firearm was recovered at the scene, lending weight to this conclusion. Due to the proximity of the incident to the Utah-Arizona state line, the autopsies were handled by both the Coconino County Medical Examiner's Office and the Utah State Medical Examiner's Office.
With the primary suspect deceased, authorities announced that there were no outstanding suspects and no ongoing threat to public safety. The case was considered resolved, leaving behind a painful narrative of a life tragically ended.
