UPDATE: After days of searching, Colorado rescuers found the bodies Thursday of two young elk hunters who went missing in Rio Grande National Forest.
According to an update of a GoFundMe page created by the hunters’ family, Andrew Porter, 25, and Ian Stasko, 25, were both found deceased by Colorado Search and Rescue.
“It is with a broken heart and through tears that I give you this update. Andrew and Ian have both been found deceased,” Lynne Runkle, Porter’s aunt and the organizer of the online fundraiser, wrote in the update. “Their bodies were discovered earlier today by Colorado Search and Rescue. I will provide another update tomorrow.”
Runkle did not share any additional details.
However, Conejos County Sheriff Garth Crowther wrote in a news release that the two men’s bodies were found 2 miles from the Rio De Los Pinos trailhead, according to The Denver Post. He said the men remained unidentified and that the investigation would continue.
Wednesday, Sept. 17 — Two young hunters are missing in southern Colorado, and their families are asking for help in the search to find them. Andrew Porter, 25, and Ian Stasko, 25, set out in unit 81 of the Rio Grande National Forest on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025. A large search effort is now underway, with volunteers aiding the Conejos County Sheriff’s Department.
Porter and Stasko’s car was located at the Rio Los Pinos Trailhead where they had planned to depart from. All of their camping gear and backpacks were inside the vehicle. Both men are described as fit, experienced hunters who had extensively researched this area prior to selecting it for their hunt. However, rain and cold fog rolled in on the evening of Sept. 11, and the bad weather continued in the area until Sunday, according to reports.
On social media, Porter’s fiancée, Bridget Murphy, posted a plea for people to come help look for the lost men.
“IF YOU ARE QUALIFIED / EXPERIENCED IN HUNTING, HIKING OR SOUTHERN COLORADO TERRAIN PLEASE, I BEG OF YOU, COME TO THE RIO LOS PINOS TRAILHEAD or the surrounding area to help search on foot,” Murphy wrote. “PLEASE WE NEED as much foot traffic SAFELY out there searching as we can get.”
Murphy speculated in her post that Porter and Stasko left their gear in the car to embark on a quick evening hunt while the weather was clear. They had a Garmin inReach with them. However, neither Murphy nor anyone else has heard from or been able to contact them.
More Resources & Volunteers Needed
Conejos County Undersheriff Blake Crowther told Cville Right Now that numerous search and rescue teams from both Colorado and New Mexico have been deployed. He said they have been using horse teams, drones, helicopters, and “sophisticated aircraft” to aid in the search.
“We are very grateful to the Conejos County Sheriff’s Department and to all the volunteers for their efforts in finding Andrew and Ian,” the hunters’ families wrote on the GoFundMe webpage launched to help fund further search efforts. “But we need more help, and we need it now. We need more resources, and we need them now. We are working furiously to find additional support as quickly as possible; time is of the essence.”
There is currently a $10,000 reward for finding Porter and Stasko. If you have any information or want to volunteer in the search, contact the Colorado State Police at 719-589-5807 or the Conejos County Sheriff’s Office at 719-376-2196.
