Gray lived in North Brookfield, Massachusetts at the time of his disappearance. He traveled to Idaho in September 2008 for an extended elk hunting trip.

Maria Estrada became separated from her 64-year-old male hiking companion in a section of the Mojave National Preserve about 40 miles northwest of Needles. Estrada and her companion separated at a fork in the trail to look for their vehicle, which they both thought was located in different directions. When Estrada did not return as promised, her companion began searching on his own but waited until the following day to report her missing.