Aron Christensen, 49, was found fatally wounded on the Walupt Lake Trail in Gifford Pinchot National Forest on August 19, 2022. He had hiked there with his four-month-old puppy, Buzzo, who was also killed. An autopsy later confirmed Christensen died from a gunshot wound to the chest.

Initial response at the scene was confused: the first deputy reportedly suggested the wound was from a tree limb and the area was not preserved or treated as a crime scene, with homicide detectives at first turned away. A 19-year-old hiker, Ethan Asbach, admitted firing his handgun in the woods and said he thought he had scared off a wild animal; forensic testing reportedly linked the bullet that killed Christensen to Asbach’s gun. Lewis County prosecutors declined to file felony manslaughter charges, citing investigative errors that they said would prevent a successful prosecution.

Christensen’s family filed a civil wrongful death and negligence suit against Asbach and his father; that case was settled in January 2025. Many questions about the shooting and the handling of the investigation remain. Does anyone have information about Christensen’s last hike or the people who were on Walupt Lake Trail that day?