The Missing German Family – Death Valley
On 8 July 1996, a family of four from Germany entered Death Valley National Park and vanished. The group consisted of:
- Egbert Rimkus, 34
- Georg Weber, 11 (Egbert’s son)
- Cornelia Meyer, 27 (Egbert’s girlfriend)
- Max Meyer, 4 (Cornelia’s son)
They were on holiday from Dresden. After flying into Seattle–Tacoma International Airport on 8 July, they continued to LAX and rented a green 1996 Plymouth Voyager. At some point early in the trip, they ran short of money and phoned home requesting $1,500 to be wired to them. Between the 8th and 22nd of July, they stayed at the Treasure Island Hotel and Casino in Paradise, Nevada.
On 22 July 1996, the family drove into Death Valley National Park. There are confirmed reports that they purchased two German‑language copies of Death Valley National Monument Museum Text at the Furnace Creek Visitor Center.
First Night
Their first night was spent camping at Hanaupah Canyon, near Telescope Peak. The next day, 23 July, they visited several tourist sites, signing visitor books as they went. At an abandoned mine, Cornelia wrote that they would be “heading over the pass.” At the time, this was assumed to mean Mengel Pass.
From there, it appears they travelled down West Side Road and turned onto Warm Springs Road, a rough track leading into Warm Spring Canyon. Eventually, they would have continued into Butte Valley.
This is where the trail goes cold.
Disappearance
The family was due to fly home to Germany on 27 July 1996. When they failed to arrive, Egbert’s ex‑wife, Heike Weber, raised the alarm. Meanwhile, the rental company had already reported the van as stolen—it was more than 30 days overdue.
On 21 October 1996, a park ranger conducting a helicopter patrol for illegal drug operations spotted the abandoned van at 35.9272°N, 117.0249°W. A registration check revealed the family was missing.
Timeline Recap
- 8 July 1996 – Arrive in the USA
- 8 July 1996 – Fly to Los Angeles
- 8 July 1996 – Rent Plymouth Voyager
- 22 July 1996 – Enter Death Valley
- 21 October 1996 – Van was discovered
What they did between the 8th and 22nd isn’t fully known, but given the money issues, they were likely sightseeing on a tight budget.
The Search
Inspection of the van revealed:
- Three of four tyres were flat
- Wheels damaged from being driven on bare rims for over two miles
- A Coleman sleeping bag, a tent, toys, and an unused jack inside
- No sign of the family anywhere nearby
Over 200 search and rescue personnel were deployed, costing around $80,000. The China Lake Mountain Rescue Group and the Indian Wells Valley Search and Rescue Group led the effort. Despite extensive searching, the only clue found was a beer bottle under a bush more than a mile from the van (35.9289°N, 116.9980°W).
After five days, on 26 October 1996, the search was suspended.
Discovery of Remains
On 12 November 2009, two hikers searching specifically for the family’s remains found human bones at 35.8674°N, 116.9747°W. Two adult remains were recovered. DNA confirmed that one belonged to a member of the missing group.
Nearby were:
- Cornelia’s passport
- Her bank ID
- A journal written in German
- A wine bottle
The wine bottle is notable. If the family succumbed to the heat—and Death Valley in July is brutal—they may have been drinking wine simply because it was all they had left. Unfortunately, alcohol accelerates dehydration.
Children’s shoe soles were also found, but the children themselves were never formally identified.
Was this a tragic accident? Almost certainly. Some websites claim the van “mysteriously appeared” where it was found—nonsense. Vans don’t teleport. They drove it there, destroyed the tyres, and were stranded in one of the harshest environments on earth.
Below are images of the van, Cornelia’s purse and ID, the journal, and the location where the remains were found. The map plots the positions of the van, the beer bottle, and the remains.