Complete Colorado: A district court Judge recently sided with the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office over the denial of a records request concerning a deceased elderly hiker, due to the man’s status as an “at-risk” adult.

In early October 2024, a 78-year-old man was found dead on the Conundrum Creek Trail near Aspen, roughly one mile from the trailhead. Investigators say a relative of the deceased man told them he was suffering from pre-dementia, and when found officials noted he had not brought any food, water, or extra-clothing with him on the 17-mile roundtrip hike.

EWU Media, a production company, requested reports, bodycam footage, and photographs related to the hiker’s death from the sheriff’s office for a digital media Investigative piece. The request was made on Dec. 31 and was twice denied (on Jan. 2 and Feb. 18) by records custodian, Charles Matthews, citing the state’s “at-risk adult” statute regarding information disclosure.

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