Colorado Elk Hunt Turns Tragic: Two Young Hunters Killed by Lightning Strike
Colorado Elk Hunt Turns Tragic: Two Young Hunters Killed by Lightning Strike
Two 25-year-old hunters, Andrew Porter of Asheville, North Carolina, and Ian Stasko of Salt Lake City, Utah, were found dead in southern Colorado after going missing during an elk hunting trip.
The pair were reported missing following their last known contact on September 11, 2025, when Porter sent his fiancée, Bridget Murphy, a location via a satellite device. By September 13, their vehicle was found parked at the Rio De Los Pinos Trailhead, with camping gear and backpacks inside. However, the two men themselves were not present.
Search efforts were hampered by severe and rapidly moving storms in the area. Reports indicate that extreme weather—including heavy rain, fog, and possible electrical activity—moved through the wilderness near the time the men disappeared.
An extensive search operation began soon after being reported overdue. Ground teams, air crews, drones, dog units, and volunteers all took part in the effort. On September 18, about a week after their disappearance, the bodies of Porter and Stasko were found roughly two miles from the Rio De Los Pinos Trailhead in Conejos County.
Initial investigations found no obvious signs of trauma or foul play. Their remains showed minor burn marks and singed hair, consistent with a strong electrical strike. According to the local coroner’s office, preliminary findings point to death by lightning strike. The full autopsy results are expected to take eight to ten weeks.
Porter was engaged to be married in the months ahead, and both men were described by their families and those who knew them as experienced outdoorsmen, well-prepared for backcountry wilderness conditions—yet vulnerable to the unpredictability of wild weather.
This tragedy underscores how quickly conditions in remote mountain terrain can change and how even seasoned outdoors people can be at risk from the forces of nature. Authorities are reviewing safety messages for hunters and wilderness travelers, especially during storm-prone periods.
