Current:Home > Finance3 people whose partly mummified bodies were found at remote campsite planned to live "off the grid," family says -WealthX
3 people whose partly mummified bodies were found at remote campsite planned to live "off the grid," family says
View
Date:2025-04-18 01:39:21
The decomposed and partially mummified bodies of three people recently found at a remote western Colorado campsite were two adult sisters and the 14-year-old son of one of them, Gunnison County Coroner Michael Barnes said.
The deceased are Christine Vance, 41; Rebecca Vance, 42, and Rebecca's son, all from Colorado Springs. Two were found in a tent down the road from a campsite in the Gunnison National Forest about nine miles from Ohio City, Colorado, Gunnison County Coroner Michael Barnes said in an interview Tuesday. Officials have not named the son because he is a minor.
Their bodies showed signs of malnourishment, with two in the tent and one outside. Though a cause of death has yet to be determined while authorities wait for toxicology reports to be processed, the group may have succumbed to starvation, freezing temperatures or carbon monoxide poisoning from trying to make fire to stay warm, Barnes said.
The three likely started camping in July 2022 and died sometime over the winter. Family members told Barnes that the group embarked on a trip last summer and intended to live "off the grid."
After a hiker found a body outside the tent earlier this month, deputies began investigating the site to identify the bodies. At the campsite alongside the bodies were empty food cans, books and a restroom area, Barnes said. It appeared they had begun to build a "lean-to" type shelter but hadn't finished by the time last year's harsh winter began, he said.
"I wonder if winter came on quickly and suddenly they were just in survival mode in the tent," Barnes said. "They had a lot of literature with them about outdoor survival and foraging and stuff like that. But it looked like they supplied at a grocery store."
Authorities didn't find any vehicle or firearms at the campsite with the bodies.
veryGood! (9696)
Related
- Are Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp down? Meta says most issues resolved after outages
- At least 12 killed in mass shooting at Christmas party in Mexico: When they were asked who they were, they started shooting
- Old Dominion closes No Bad Vibes tour in Nashville, raises over $40K for tornado relief
- Inside the landfill of fast-fashion: These clothes don't even come from here
- What do we know about the mysterious drones reported flying over New Jersey?
- Mother gets life sentence for fatal shooting of 5-year-old son at Ohio hotel
- Trial set for North Dakota’s pursuit of costs for policing Dakota Access pipeline protests
- Leaders seek to expand crime-fighting net of cameras and sensors beyond New Mexico’s largest city
- Alex Murdaugh’s murder appeal cites biased clerk and prejudicial evidence
- Ahmed Fareed to host 'Football Night in America' with Maria Taylor going on parental leave
Ranking
- SFO's new sensory room helps neurodivergent travelers fight flying jitters
- Costco members complain its butter changed and they're switching brands. Here's what is behind the debate.
- Ja Morant lawsuit provides glimpse into his youth, family and a contentious pickup game
- First cardinal prosecuted in Vatican's criminal court convicted of embezzlement
- Google unveils a quantum chip. Could it help unlock the universe's deepest secrets?
- Air Jordans made for Spike Lee and donated to Oregon shelter auctioned for nearly $51,000
- Biden has big plans for semiconductors. But there's a big hole: not enough workers
- Trump blasted for saying immigrants are poisoning the blood of our country
Recommendation
What do we know about the mysterious drones reported flying over New Jersey?
Hiker trapped under 3-ton boulder for 7 hours gets 'second chance' after dramatic rescue
Woman slept with her lottery ticket to bring good luck, won $2 million when she woke up
Jordan Davis nearly turned down his viral moment on Eagles' Christmas album
Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Triathlon
Storm slams East Coast with wind-swept rain flooding streets, delaying travel: Live updates
San Francisco prosecutors begin charging 80 protesters who blocked bridge while demanding cease-fire
Israel strikes south Gaza and raids a hospital in the north as war grinds on with renewed US support