Something in the Sky: What Killed Two Hunters Deep in Colorado’s Wilderness?
Andrew Porter and Ian Stasko were found dead in the Colorado wilderness after vanishing during an elk hunting trip. Gofundme
Lightning Likely Killed Two Missing Elk Hunters in Colorado, Officials Say
Updated Sept. 23, 2025, 12:30 AM CDT
Authorities believe lightning may have killed two elk hunters whose bodies were discovered last week in Colorado’s remote backcountry. Andrew Porter of Asheville, North Carolina, and Ian Stasko of Salt Lake City, both 25 years old, had been missing for nearly a week before they were found dead on Thursday morning.
According to the Conejos County coroner, early evidence suggests the men were struck by lightning while hunting in rugged terrain. “The injuries were consistent with a powerful electrical jolt,” the coroner told People magazine. He described minor burn marks on the victims, similar to those caused by a nearly burnt-out match touching the skin, along with traces of singed hair. Although official autopsy results will take up to eight weeks, the coroner said he is “fairly certain” lightning was the cause of death.
Heavy rain and storms were sweeping through the area at the time the hunters went missing. “It is OFFICIAL, that a lightning strike to the ground took them in an instant,” Porter’s fiancée wrote on social media, according to The Colorado Sun.
Disappearance and Search Efforts
Porter and Stasko were last heard from on September 11, when Porter used a satellite device to share his location with his fiancée. When communication ceased, a search was launched in Game Management Unit 81 — a remote area stretching from the Continental Divide to the New Mexico border.
Their vehicle was later discovered near the Rio de los Pinos trailhead with only wet clothing inside, suggesting the men had returned to dry off before heading back out with their gear. A witness spotted the pair the next morning at a different trailhead; they reportedly said they were tracking a bull moose before storms rolled in.
Over the following days, a large-scale search operation was conducted by local authorities, Saguache County Search and Rescue, and volunteers using drones, horses, and search dogs. The men were eventually found about two miles from the trailhead.
The investigation remains ongoing, and officials say further details will be released once the families are fully informed.
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