In a tragic incident in the Colorado wilderness, two seasoned elk hunters, both aged 25, were killed by a lightning strike. The victims, identified as Andrew Porter of Asheville, North Carolina, and Ian Stasko of Salt Lake City, Utah, were hunting in a remote area of the Rio Grande National Forest, specifically the Rio de los Pinos trailhead, when the unfortunate event took place.
The bodies of Porter and Stasko were found under a tree, bearing minor burn marks, as reported by Conejos County Coroner Richard Martin. The burns were likened 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 unknown. However, Martin underscored the suddenness of their passing, stating that their demise was instantaneous. He said, “It’s like you’re alive and now you’re not. Just that quick. Split second.”
While the full autopsy results are anticipated to take about eight weeks, Martin expressed confidence in the preliminary findings pointing to a lightning strike as the cause of death. The bodies of the two friends were found 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.