Trio Found Dead in Secluded Rocky Mountain Campsite Were Seeking Solitude From Society, Stepsister Confirms

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The stepsister of one of the Colorado women found deceased, along with another woman and a teenage boy, at an isolated campsite in the Rocky Mountains, stated that the women had sought refuge in the wilderness due to their difficulty adapting to societal shifts in recent times. However, they were ill-prepared to sustain themselves in such an environment.

According to autopsy results released this week, Christine Vance, Rebecca Vance, and Rebecca’s unnamed teenage son likely succumbed to malnutrition and hypothermia. They were situated amidst several feet of snow, experiencing temperatures below freezing, and had no food supplies at their campsite. Local authorities have not disclosed the identity of the young male.

Further heartbreaking details emerged from the reports, moving their stepsister, Trevala Jara, to tears. The 14-year-old boy was found clutching a rosary, considered sacred by Jara, which she had given to them before their departure.

“Divine presence was alongside them,” Jara remarked, who has yet to summon the emotional fortitude to retrieve the rosary from the hazardous material bag. Despite her previous efforts to dissuade them from this perilous journey, Jara is left grappling with unresolved questions.

“Why embark on such a dangerous endeavor, fully aware that you are leaving loved ones behind?” she emotionally inquired. “Why did you disregard my counsel and that of my spouse?”

Initially alerted by an off-path hiker in July, the Gunnison County Sheriff’s Office located the bodies of the two women the subsequent day during a thorough examination of the campsite. All three individuals had been deceased for a considerable duration. Scattered around the area were empty food canisters and guides on wilderness survival. A makeshift shelter was also found near a firepit.

The sisters, residents of Colorado Springs—approximately an hour’s drive south of Denver—had contemplated living independently from society since autumn 2021. Jara revealed that they were disillusioned by the societal repercussions of the pandemic and political discord.

While they were not proponents of conspiracy theories, Rebecca Vance believed that the world was headed toward a dismal future. The aim was to detach themselves from the potential malevolence that human interaction could engender.

According to Jara, Rebecca Vance was somewhat introverted but intellectually acute, capable of digesting a 1,000-page book within a matter of days. Vance’s son was an academically gifted child who had been homeschooled, excelling particularly in mathematics.

Christine Vance, conversely, had a more outgoing and effervescent personality. Initially skeptical about the venture to escape society, she eventually relented, unwilling to leave her sister and nephew isolated.

In a deceptive maneuver, the sisters informed their acquaintances that they were relocating due to a family emergency. Although they had communicated their intentions to Jara, they had not divulged the specifics of their planned location. Despite researching survival tips through YouTube videos, their preparations proved inadequate, as per Jara’s assessment.

Despite exhausting all possible interventions short of forcible restraint, Jara was unable to prevent their departure. She now aims to enlighten the public about the hazards associated with survival in an unforgiving wilderness.

“I would never want anyone to endure such agony,” Jara conveyed. “I look forward to the day when I can focus solely on the cherished memories.”

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Bedayn is an affiliate journalist for the Big Big News/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative, a non-profit organization committed to augmenting journalistic coverage on neglected issues by placing reporters in local newsrooms.

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• Autopsy Procedures and Guidelines
• Wilderness Survival Tips and Essentials
• Psychological Impact of Societal Changes
• Gunnison County Sheriff’s Office Reports
• The Dangers of Extreme Cold and Hypothermia
• Basic Emergency Preparedness
• Non-Profit Organizations Focused on Journalistic Coverage of Undercovered Issues
• How to Prepare for Off-Grid Living
• Colorado State Laws on Missing Persons
• Climate Conditions in the Rocky Mountains