Two experienced elk hunters, both 25 years old, tragically lost their lives in the Colorado wilderness due to a lightning strike, as confirmed by the local coroner. The victims, Andrew Porter from Asheville, North Carolina, and Ian Stasko from Salt Lake City, Utah, were hunting on the Rio de los Pinos trailhead, a secluded area in the Rio Grande National Forest, when the incident occurred.
The bodies of Porter and Stasko were discovered under a tree, showing minor burn marks, according to Conejos County Coroner Richard Martin. He described the burns as similar to those caused by a matchstick held against the skin, with only two or three such marks visible on their bodies.
The exact time of the hunters’ deaths remains undetermined. However, Martin emphasized the instantaneous nature of their demise, stating, “It’s like you’re alive and now you’re not. Just that quick. Split second.”
While full autopsy results are expected to take approximately eight weeks, Martin expressed confidence in the preliminary findings indicating a lightning strike as the cause of death. The bodies of the two friends were discovered by Colorado search and rescue teams after a week-long search operation.
Lynne Runkle, Porter’s aunt, had previously speculated in a GoFundMe statement that the hunters may have been unexpectedly caught in a storm. The last known contact from the pair was on September 11, when Porter shared his location via a satellite device with his fiancée, Bridget Murphy. The device’s last signal came from his car near the trailhead.
An extensive search operation, involving both ground and air teams, was launched in the days following their disappearance. Murphy, in a Facebook post, confirmed the cause of death, stating, “It is OFFICIAL, that a lightning strike to the ground took them in an instant. They didn’t do anything wrong, they didn’t feel fear or pain.”
Murphy also expressed her grief and shock, describing Porter as her husband and partner, despite not being legally married. She expressed her sorrow at the sudden loss, but found solace in the fact that the two friends were doing what they loved at the time of the incident.