Gary died on August 11, 1977 while hiking in a remote mountainous area of central Mexico. He was bitten by a poisonous animal or insect and succumbed to the venom. Local villagers wound up burying him along the trail at the location he died. Gary’s parents tried to recover the body but were unable to get the approval from Mexico, even with U.S. government help. Because of strong religious beliefs and superstitions, the villagers and local authorities would not allow the exhumation of Gary’s body.
Gary was only 22 years old.
