19-year-old hiking with friends plunges to death taking photos at canyon, Utah cops say

A 19-year-old man fell to his death while taking photos at a canyon overlook while hiking with friends, Utah sheriff’s officials told news outlets.

Jonathan Fielding fell at about 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 27, after stopping to take a photo with two friends at the Moonscape Overlook, the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office told KUTV.

He died in the accidental fall just outside Hanksville, officials told KSTU.

“It was a tragic accident, but Jonathan should be a cautionary tale to anyone who hikes or does photography,” Rebecca Fielding, his sister, wrote on Facebook.

She advised hikers to never trust the ground at the edge of a cliff, even if it looks solid.

“No view is worth your life,” Rebecca Fielding wrote. “No view is worth the suffering that your family and friends will go through. ... There was no reason for my brother to die.”

Jonathan Fielding had recently moved to Utah after growing up in Missouri, family friend Connor Parry told KUTV.

“Jonathan was a fun-loving, intelligent young man that had developed some unique talents,” an obituary on Legacy read. “He had big dreams and hopes focused on sales.”

Known to his friends as Johnny, he had earned the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America, the obituary said. “Jonathan truly cared about others. He would genuinely listen to you. He was truly a friend in every sense of the word.”

A GoFundMe established to help pay funeral expenses called Jonathan Fielding “a great example of selfless love.”

Hanksville is about 230 miles south of Salt Lake City.

This story was originally published February 1, 2024 at 6:56 AM with the headline "19-year-old hiking with friends plunges to death taking photos at canyon, Utah cops say."