Background
The case began on Wednesday, November 5, 1975. Then 22 years old, Walton was employed by Mike Rogers, who had for some nine years contracted with the United States Forest Service for various duties. Rogers and Walton were best friends; Walton was dating Rogers' sister Dana, whom he would later marry. The other men on the crew were Ken Peterson, John Goulette, Steve Pierce, Allen Dallis and Dwayne Smith. They all lived in the small town of Snowflake, Arizona.
Rogers was hired to thin out scrub brush and other undergrowth from a large area (more than 1,200 acres) near Turkey Springs, Arizona. The job was the most lucrative contract Rogers had received from the Forest Service, but his crew was behind schedule. As a result, they were working long shifts to fulfill the contract, typically from 6 a.m. until sunset.
Read more about this topic: Travis Walton
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