California hiker who went to find help for girlfriend found dead

A California hiker was found dead Thursday after leaving his girlfriend on a trail to find her water in the mountains of Santa Barbara County, authorities said. 

More than 60 people and several search dogs spent days combing the area for Tim Sgrignoli, 29, whose body was found at 9:29 a.m. between Trespass Trail and Highway 101, according Raquel Zick, the public information officer for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office.

ARIZONA WOMAN FOUND DEAD ON GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK TRAIL

“Cause and manner of death are pending,” Zick wrote on Twitter. “No foul play is suspected, heat is likely a contributing factor.”

GRAND CANYON VISITOR FALLS TO DEATH, BODY FOUND 200 FEET BELOW PARK’S NORTH RIM

Sgrignoli, a software engineer, was hiking Sunday with his girlfriend in the Gaviota Peak area, a 2400 summit in the Santa Ynez Mountains. 

His girlfriend, who hasn’t been publicly identified, was likely suffering from “mild heat exhaustion,” when he left her to get help, said Scott Safechuck with the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.

The temperature in the area had soared to 114 degrees during a heat dome that settled over California. Later that day, the woman was rescued but Sgrignoli had vanished. 

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office launched an extensive days-long search for the young man using helicopters, drones and Utility Terrain Vehicles.

In 2016, Sgrignoli graduated from the University of Florida, where he studied statistics, according to his LinkedIn profile.

He lived in Ventura, California, and worked as a software engineer for the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, the profile says.