Authorities in Colorado say that two hunters who were found dead in southern Colorado after nearly a week of searching were killed by a lightning strike.
Preliminary reports show that Andrew Porter and Ian Stasko, both 25, died from being struck by lightning, Conejos County Coroner Richard Martin told PEOPLE on Monday, Sept. 22. He added that their injuries looked like “a pretty intense electrical jolt.”
“They had a few small burn marks, like if you took a match, let it burn down a little, and touched it to your arm,” Martin said. He also noticed “a little bit of singed hair, but not very much.”
The full autopsy results, which will give the official cause of death, are expected to take about eight weeks. But Martin said, “I’m telling you, that’s what it was.”
The two men, both experienced outdoorsmen, went missing near the Colorado-New Mexico border in the San Juan Wilderness while elk hunting on Sept. 11.
Their last contact was when Porter shared his location with his fiancée, Bridget Murphy, through a satellite device around 2:45 p.m., she told The Colorado Sun previously.
When the men “failed to check in with loved ones at a predetermined time,” sheriff’s deputies arrived at the Rio De Los Pinos Trailhead two days later on Sept. 13, according to a news release obtained by PEOPLE.
Although their vehicle was found, the hunters were not there. Authorities also found “camping gear and backpacks” inside the area, which was worrying because of “heavy rain and bad weather.”
A large search was then launched, including aerial teams, county and state crew members on the ground, dog teams, drones, and local volunteers.
Murphy told The Colorado Sun that Porter and Stasko were “very prepared outdoorsmen,” but she noted that their survival could depend on factors like “if they were in sound mind, if they were disoriented or panicked, or if they were already hypothermic.”
Tragically, their bodies were found one day after that interview.
Martin had previously told ABC affiliate KMGH that there were no visible injuries on the bodies, and no “initial signs of foul play.”
On Thursday, Sept. 18, Andrew Porter’s aunt, Lynne Runkle, shared that their bodies had been recovered.
“It is with a broken heart and through tears that I give you this update. Andrew and Ian have both been found deceased,” Runkle wrote on a GoFundMe page she created to support search and rescue efforts.
The same day, the Conejos County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that the two men had been found at the Rio De Los Pinos Trailhead around 11 a.m. local time after extensive search efforts.
“This collaborative effort reflects the strength of our community and the unwavering dedication to every volunteer and agency involved,” Crowther wrote, noting that the investigation is ongoing.
