46-year-old Kristen Kovatch was identified as the woman who was killed by a mountain lion in Larimer County on New Year’s Day. The coroner’s office determined the cause of death to be asphyxia due to external neck compression. Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) investigation found three mountain lions in the vicinity of the Crosier Mountain Trail where the woman was found deceased, and the agency believes that a mountain lion family was involved in the attack.
“Our hearts go out to the victim’s family,” said Mark Leslie, Regional Manager for CPW’s Northeast Region. “This is a terrible tragedy. This hiker did what many people did on New Year’s Day. She went out in nature on the first day of a new year, and the fact that she did not return to her family and friends is nothing short of heartbreaking. We encourage the public to have compassion and empathy for her and her loved ones.”
CPW shot a male mountain lion after it approached the area of the incident. The lion ran off, but was later contacted by CPW and euthanized. A female lion was also seen in the area and was euthanized by CPW. The male lion had human DNA on all four paws while the female lion did not have any traces of human DNA. A third lion was seen in the area and CPW attempted to track down the lion for 72 hours, but announced it has ended the search and the trail is now reopened to the public…