Park hikers may have died in 'sympathetic murder-suicide'

SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — The family of a young woman who died in a murder-suicide in Joshua Tree National Park says they hold no grudges against her hiking companion who is believed to be the gunman.

Rachel Nguyen, 20, and Joseph Orbeso, 22, had been missing for nearly three months after going hiking in the sprawling desert park in late July. Their disappearance launched an exhaustive search — crews spent more than 2,100 hours scouring the rugged terrain — but their bodies were not found until Oct. 15.

Autopsies found both had gunshot wounds and evidence at the scene led detectives to believe Orbeso shot Nguyen and then himself, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department said Friday.