Two 25-year-old elk hunters discovered dead in Colorado were hit by lightning, according to the coroner.

Tragic Deaths of Elk Hunters in Colorado

Two 25-year-old elk hunters lost their lives in the Colorado wilderness after being missing for a week, and local coroners have determined that they were killed by lightning strikes.

Andrew Porter and Ian Stasco died instantly when lightning struck while they were hunting near the trailhead in the remote Rio de los Pinos national forest. Their bodies were discovered beneath a tree, exhibiting only “slight burns,” as noted by coroner Martin.

“The burns were minimal, similar to those you’d get from resting against something hot for a moment,” he described.

While it is known that the two experienced outdoorsmen died quickly, the exact time of their deaths remains unconfirmed.

“Such a death is immediate; one moment you’re alive, and the next you’re not,” the coroner explained. “It’s just that quick.” A complete autopsy for Porter in Asheville, North Carolina, and another for Stasco in Salt Lake City, Utah, will take approximately eight weeks to finalize, but Martin feels assured about his early conclusions.

“That’s really what happened,” he reiterated.

The remains of the two men were discovered by Colorado search and rescue teams around 11 a.m. on Thursday. Porter’s aunt, Lynn Landkle, had speculated in a GoFundMe statement that the hunters may have been “caught off guard” by an approaching storm.

The last communication from the hunters occurred shortly after 3 p.m. on September 11, when Porter sent his location to his fiancée, Bridget Murphy, using satellite equipment. His location was last recorded near the car by the trailhead.

The following day, multiple rescue teams launched an extensive ground and air search for the missing men.

“It’s certain that a lightning strike killed them instantly. They didn’t do anything wrong and felt no fear or pain,” Murphy wrote in a Facebook post.

She shared that Porter was almost back to the car when the storm hit on September 12. “It was beyond anyone’s control. We are grateful we found them, allowing them to rest in peace.”

“Although we weren’t legally married, he was my partner, and we lived together as if we were for three years. It feels like I’ve lost a husband. I wish there were more comfort to be had.” Murphy expressed her belief that the two were well-prepared for their trip, emphasizing that nature can be unpredictably perilous.