The body of an Oklahoma man who vanished into the backcountry of Yellowstone National Park during the Memorial Day Weekend has been found not far from where he left his rental car, park officials said Tuesday.
Peter Louis Kastner, a former Marine who served four years in Iraq, climbed to the top of Garnet Hill, a summit northwest of Tower Junction, and evidently committed suicide with a single gunshot, the officials said.
The man's remains were discovered last week by a group of researchers working off trail. The researchers hiked out and called park rangers, who hiked into the area last Thursday.
Rangers found the remains near the top of Garnet Hill, a site that is well off established trails and east of the Hellroaring Trailhead, a park release said.
The body was removed by helicopter, and then taken to Bozeman, Montana, for a forensic autopsy, which confirmed the remains were those of the 25-year-old man. The autopsy revealed that Mr. Kastner died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the park reported.
Mr. Kastner had been the subject of an ongoing search since May 31, when a check on the red Cadillac STS sedan parked at the trailhead showed that the vehicle was two weeks' overdue from an Oklahoma City car rental agency. Family members who were then contacted said they had not been in touch with Mr. Kastner in recent weeks, and reported him missing.
A series of searches by ground teams, dog teams, and from the air had failed to turn up any clues to the missing man’s whereabouts, until last Wednesday’s discovery by researchers.
Mr. Kastner had been honorably discharged from the Marine Corps after serving for four years. During his service, he was injured twice by Improvised Explosive Devices while serving in Iraq, according to the park.
He had recently moved to Oklahoma City from the Minneapolis - St. Paul, Minnesota, area to attend college.
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Comments
I am so sorry that he chose to end his life this way. He served our country and for that we should all be grateful. No matter what led him to this choice, he deserves our respect for his service to our country. My deepest condolences to his family and friends.
It's terrible that we have war casualities after young men return home. More blood on the hands of the Masters of War.
A sad end to the story. Condolences to his family and friends.
I too am very sad that this fine marine felt there was no choice but to end his life. We were in Yellowstone in early June and I felt saddness when I saw the poster.