I’ve been to Badwater at the start of May. It’s brutally hot even then. This man would have to be insane, if not suicidal, to walk this in July. Death Valley mostly closes up for the summer beginning May 1st for that obvious reason.
A possibility that should be looked at in the investigation.
Maybe he had a terminal disease.
It would not be my first choice of exiting this mortal coil but he may have been looking for a way for his family to collect on his life insurance.