A tragic search for a missing college student ended on November 2 when authorities discovered the body of 19-year-old Dallas Roberts in Colorado’s Gunnison National Park, nearly a week after he went missing.
Roberts, a student at Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction, had been last seen on October 28 in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.
His vehicle was found the same day, crashed 150 feet off the road and down a steep hill, but he was nowhere to be found.
The car had been traveling at a high rate of speed before veering off the road, leading authorities to fear the worst.
Montrose County Sheriff Gene Lillard described the situation as “an absolute tragedy” in a statement to McClatchy News on November 5.
In the days following Roberts’ disappearance, his family worked alongside authorities to search the rugged terrain.
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Search efforts were delayed initially as park rangers were stationed on the opposite side of the park, but once they were able to respond, they brought in a cadaver dog and used drone footage to aid in the search.
Roberts’ body was found lying in bushes about 200 feet down from a bench midway down a granite cliffside, just over a week after he was reported missing.
The area, known for its steep and treacherous terrain, posed significant challenges for rescue teams.
Before finding his remains, park officials had discovered a sweater, later identified as Roberts’, about half a mile from the crash site.
Authorities had also expressed concerns about the cold weather, which could have made it even harder for Roberts to survive.
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Although an official cause of death has not yet been determined, the loss of Roberts has left his family and the community devastated.
Roberts had been living in Montrose, where he has family, prior to attending college in Grand Junction.
The Black Canyon area of Gunnison National Park, known for its deep gorges and rugged terrain, spans approximately 31,000 acres, making rescue efforts in the region especially challenging.
