Fenn treasure

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The Fenn Treasure is a treasure reportedly worth over a million dollars supposedly hidden by art dealer and author Forrest Fenn in the Rocky Mountains. Fenn has said he is going to go back and get it when the value is inflated to 10 million dollars.

According to Fenn, many people have claimed to have found the treasure, but no one has provided any evidence to him supporting their claim. As of July 2017, Fenn has stated "The treasure remains where I hid it about 7 years ago". In May 2017, Fenn was asked: "Has anyone determined the nine clues and what they represent?" and his response was: "I don't know that anybody has told me the clues in the right order", leading to speculation all of the clues have been solved, but the chest remains hidden. Forrest reconfirmed searchers have been within 200 feet of the treasure and many within 500 feet. The Thrill of the Chase and Too Far to Walk books chronicle Fenn's life as an adrenaline junkie and the treasure hunt has attracted many thrill seekers.

Video Fenn treasure

History

Fenn operated an art gallery with his wife Peggy after retiring from the United States Air Force. The gallery was located in Santa Fe, New Mexico and sold everything from artifacts to fine art and was quite successful. In 1988, Fenn was diagnosed with cancer and came up with the idea during this illness to hide a chest full of treasure for anyone to go find. He filled the chest with "treasure" containing gold nuggets, rare coins, jewelry and gemstones, along with an olive jar holding his autobiography. He intended to hide it and end his life nearby, with the treasure as a legacy. However, he survived his illness and waited until he was 79 or 80 to hide the treasure. Prior to the treasure hunt, Fenn found himself at odds with federal antiquities laws. FBI agents raided his home in 2009 as part of an investigation into artifact looting in the Four Corners area and seized items, but he was not charged. Two people targeted in the case committed suicide and Fenn has blamed the FBI for their deaths.

Maps Fenn treasure

Deaths

Two people have died while searching for the treasure, prompting New Mexico police to pressure Fenn into ending the hunt.

Randy Bilyeu, who went missing in January 2016 and was later found dead in July of that year. As a result, Bilyeu's ex-wife told others she thought the Fenn Treasure was a hoax.
Pastor Paris Wallace of Grand Junction told family members he was searching for a buried treasure and later failed to show up for a planned family meeting Wednesday June 14, 2017. His car was found parked near the Taos Junction Bridge and his body was subsequently found 5-7 miles downstream.

In late July 2017, news sources reported that a third death may be linked to the hunt for the treasure. A body was found in the Arkansas River on July 28, believed to be that of Eric Ashby, 31. It is alleged by some of Ashby's family members that Ashby had moved to Colorado in 2016 to look for the treasure, and was last seen on June 28 rafting on the river, 10-15 miles upstream from where the body was found. The raft overturned and Ashby had been missing since that time. Authorities claimed that, if confirmed as Ashby, his death would be the third attributable to the hunt for Fenn's treasure.