The Hunters Have Been Confirmed Dead By Their Families

After a weeklong search, the bodies of two missing elk hunters were found in Colorado.

Andrew Porter, 25, of Asheville, North Carolina, and Ian Stasko, 25, of Salt Lake City, Utah, had been missing since September 11, with their families fearing that unexpected bad weather had caught them off guard.

The search for them led to the discovery that they had both been seen on a neighboring trail on September 12, which changed the timeline and expanded the search radius for the hunters.

A $10,000 reward was offered to anyone who found the men.

However, they were ultimately found deceased on Thursday, September 18.

“It is with a broken heart and through tears that I give you this update,” wrote Andrew’s aunt, Lynne Runkle, on a GoFundMe that was created to help support an expanded search effort. “Andrew and Ian have both been found deceased. Their bodies were discovered earlier today by Colorado Search and Rescue.”

While the family has confirmed the bodies of Andrew and Ian were found, it was not until Monday, September 22 that a cause of death was shared.

Writing on Facebook, the fiancée to Andrew, named Bridget Murphy, shared the heartbreaking news of how Andrew and Ian died, writing:

“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. He was just trying to get back to the car as storms rolled in on Friday – September 12. 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.”

Bridget and Andrew were to be married on May 16, 2026, and she wrote that her “future is a blank now,” adding, “Andrew, I will do what I can to take one step at a time. I don’t know what to do without you. I know this was not your choice. I know you love me and did everything right. I will always love you, with every breath I have.”

The Search

Over 170 personnel were involved in the search for Andrew and Ian, which even saw the use of dogs and a personally-owned Black Hawk helicopter.

Prior to the bodies of these two men being found, KOAA News reported that Andrew’s fiancée, Bridget Murphy, had posted the following:

“While they are experienced hunters, bad cold storms and fog came in quickly and continuously until Sunday morning. A lot of their gear is still in their car at the trailhead, as we assume they probably thought they were going out for a quick evening hunt with clear weather.”

When the Conejos County Sheriff’s Office began its search for the hunters, they found the car where the family had expected it to be: the trailhead of Rio De Los Pinos in the Rio Grande National Forest.

Inside the car, the Colorado Sun reported that the sheriff’s office found wet clothing, which suggests they returned to the car after a storm to change into dry clothes.

According to Bridget, the two had been practicing building shelters in the wild since they were 12.

Bridget added, “I love Andrew with all of my heart, and if you can’t come help, please just pray for a safe recovery.”

The bodies of Andrew and Ian were reportedly found two miles from the trailhead.