Two Elk Hunters Found Dead in Colorado After Weeklong Search
Porter and Stasko, both 25, were located about two miles from the Rio de los Pinos trailhead; authorities say the cause of death is undetermined and no trauma was observed.
Two 25-year-old elk hunters were found dead Thursday in southern Colorado, ending a weeklong search after they vanished during an elk hunting trip. Andrew Porter of Asheville, North Carolina, and Ian Stasko of Salt Lake City, Utah, were located by Colorado Search and Rescue teams around 11 a.m. about two miles from the Rio de los Pinos trailhead in Conejos County, according to a sheriff's office press release obtained by The Colorado Sun.
The remains showed no obvious signs of trauma, CBS News reported, and officials have not yet determined a cause of death.
Porter and Stasko were hunting in Colorado's Game Management Unit 81, a rugged expanse that runs toward the New Mexico border. The terrain is described as remote, with steep ridgelines and heavy timber. Porter last shared his location via a satellite beacon with his fiancée, Bridget Murphy, after 3 p.m. on Sept. 11; the beacon reportedly last pinged near their car at the Rio de los Pinos trailhead. A sighting placed the men at Spruce Hole trailhead the Friday before, and the car was moved back to the Rio de los Pinos trailhead, Murphy said in interviews.
Murphy said both men were highly capable outdoorsmen, noting they had long practiced shelter-building and bushcraft in the woods. A GoFundMe page launched by Porter’s aunt, Lynne Runkle, to support the search indicated that severe storms moved through the area Thursday evening, and that the two may have been caught off guard by the weather. She posted updates expressing heartbreak and urging people to keep the families in their thoughts and prayers.
Over the ensuing days, an intensive ground and air search was conducted with multiple rescue teams participating. Authorities have not released any further details about what might have contributed to the hunters' disappearance, and an official cause of death has yet to be determined. The car's movements, missing gear, and the weather during the period remain lines of inquiry for investigators.
The case underscores the dangers associated with high-elevation hunting in remote Colorado terrain, particularly when severe weather rolls through quickly. Conejos County Sheriff's Office and other responding agencies continued to review evidence and coordinate with state wildlife and forest service partners as the investigation proceeds. While the initial search has concluded with the recovery of the two men, officials stressed that more information could emerge as autopsies and toxicology results are completed, and as investigators assess environmental conditions and any equipment issues that may have occurred.
The area where Porter and Stasko disappeared is known for its rugged landscapes and variable weather, which can produce rapid changes and render outdoor conditions hazardous for even experienced hunters. The tragedy serves as a sobering reminder to outdoor enthusiasts and a rallying point for families who rely on search-and-rescue resources when a trip turns perilous.