Law enforcement is asking for the public’s help in identifying an elderly male visitor who climbed onto historic furniture for photos and destroyed a sacred piece of Hopi artwork inside the Desert View Watchtower. An expert explains why the destroyed artwork is an irreplaceable part of the Grand Canyon’s history.
The headpiece was on sale at the Desert View Watchtower at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon (Photo: Linda McKee/Getty Images)
Published July 2, 2026 04:07 pm
National Park Service (NPS) rangers at the Grand Canyon are searching for a tourist who damaged a priceless indigenous artifact at the national park’s Desert View Watchtower on June 17.
According to an NPS release, an unidentified man was attempting to take a photograph when he climbed onto a handmade, historic chair, but fell and knocked off the Hopi headpiece. After this the person ran away from the spot. Rangers are asking the public to help identify the man.
experts tell Outside The damaged headpiece, created by renowned Hopi artist Fred Caboti in the early 20th century, is an invaluable piece of cultural heritage.
“This is beyond art,” Tony Chavarria said. Outside. “It’s an element of a living culture.”
Chavarria is the curator of ethnography Museum of Indian Art and Culture in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and a member of the Santa Clara Pueblo Tribe. He has spent more than 30 years collaborating with tribes in the preservation and protection of Native American culture.
Chavarría said, “This kind of headpiece is not just an object made for display and admiration; it has another value.” “It will be used in ceremonial dances, as an important part of the culture of cyclical renewal that occurs in many of our southwest communities.”
How did the headpiece get destroyed?
According to the National Park Service (NPS) Press releaseThe incident occurred while a white male tourist in his sixties or seventies was inside the Desert View Watchtower, a historic, nearly 100-year-old stone tower on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.
After hitting the man’s headpiece, the artifacts were broken in two places and damaged in three other places, officials said.
Rangers say park staff treated the visitor with a basic first aid kit. He then allegedly eloped with an adult woman, believed to be his daughter. By the time law enforcement rangers were informed about the wreckage, both were gone.
Outside NPS was contacted for comment but did not receive comment in time for publication.
Chavarria said he hopes the man admits his mistake, but that the incident should also serve as a reminder to the national park.
“These are true demonstrations, which should be seen and appreciated from a distance,” Chavarría said. “Ideally this will change the way things are performed in the park.”
What’s next for Hopi headpieces?
Two pieces broke off from the main headpiece, the leather straps attached to it were torn, and there are other nicks, scratches, and nicks in the wood.
Because Caboti—one of the greatest Native American artists of the 20th century—died in 1986, he cannot restore the work himself. But Chavarria said proper restoration is also more complex and nuanced than just piecing the headpiece back together as it used to look.
“How this piece should be restored, and if it should even happen, is up to the Hopi person who does this type of work,” he said. “It’s not as simple as piecing it back together, and I hope the Park Service is cognizant of that as they look at it.”
When photo culture leads to destruction
In the age of social media, chasing an image regularly proves dangerous. Last year, a trio of hikers in Glacier National Park fell into a deep gorge while climbing a rock to take a photo. Two members of the group almost drowned, but bystanders saved them using CPR.
Chavarria said the allure of social media likes can often lead people to behave foolishly, especially when it comes to art and cultural artifacts, such as petroglyphs and pictographs, in outdoor locations.
He said, “People don’t realize what they’re watching and their focus is on getting something they can post. It’s more about getting a click than appreciating what they’re watching.”
“This is not just an issue of indigenous art, but also of geographical structure,” he said. “There’s really a lack of awareness.”
Can you help find the suspects?
Park investigators are asking anyone who visited the Desert View Watchtower between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. on June 17 to review their photos and recall any details that could aid in the manhunt.
Male suspect: A Caucasian-American man in his 60s or 70s, about 6 feet tall, with a slim build, a clean-shaven face, and white or gray hair. He was last seen wearing cargo shorts.
Female partner: A Caucasian-American woman, around 30 or 40 years old, approximately 5 feet 5 inches tall, with an average build and shoulder-length black hair. Authorities believe the woman was the suspect’s daughter.
If you recognize any individual or witnessed the incident, NPS clearly requests that you not post names or rumors publicly on social media. Instead, send verified tips directly to investigators.
