The cause of death has been released for two Albemarle County natives and James Madison University graduates whose bodies were found after an extensive search in Colorado.
Andrew Porter, 25, of Asheville, N.C., and Ian Stasko, 25, of Salt Lake City, Utah, were killed by lightning when an intense storm rolled in on Sept. 12. After an extensive search operation, their bodies were found on Sept. 18 underneath a large tree.
The Conejos County coroner told multiple news sources that the two men did not sustain a direct strike from lightning, but it likely struck the tree and traveled to them through the ground, killing both in a “split second.”
The two men were elk hunting in the backcountry near the Colorado-New Mexico border when they failed to check in at an agreed upon time with family prompting the missing-persons report.
The search for Porter and Stasko included air and ground teams, dogs, drones, ATV and volunteers. Their vehicle was located at the Rio De Los Pinos trailhead, according to local law enforcement. Their bodies were recovered approximately two miles from the trailhead.
The hunting trip was scheduled to end on Sept. 16, and they were expected to return home on Sept. 17.
Porter’s fiancé, Bridget Murphy, shared her heartbreak in a series of posts on social media. She said that Porter and Stasko were best friends doing what they loved.
She recalled in her last FaceTime with Porter “he was smiling and full of happiness.”
“They didn’t do anything wrong, they didn’t feel fear or pain. It was out of everyone’s hands, and I am so grateful we found them so they can be at peace. He was an experienced outdoorsman, who was in the wrong spot at the wrong time.
“What reassures me is that they were doing what they loved, without fear, well prepared and equipped, and this is a bizarre horrific act of nature. It could’ve happened anywhere, to anyone.”
ICYMI
Both men were graduates of Albemarle County High School, according to multiple sources.
A gofundme campaign raised more than $78,000 to assist with search-and-rescue operations for the two men. According to Porter’s aunt who set up the fundraiser, the donations will now be diverted to help cover memorial services for Porter and Stasko.
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Crystal Graham
