The mummified bodies of three hikers with no signs of violence were found at a tourist campsite in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, CBS reports.
The find was first reported by a traveler who discovered one of the bodies in a camp located in a remote wooded area, and authorities who arrived at the scene found the remains of two more people.
According to County Sheriff Gunnison Murdy, two bodies were inside a small zippered tent, and another was outside. Personal belongings and a canopy placed over a fire were also found at the scene.
“This is by no means a typical occurrence anywhere,” Murdy said. His deputy, Josh Ash, told CBS that investigators saw nothing at the scene that suggested a possible crime, and there were no weapons or signs of violence.
Local law enforcement is investigating reports of missing persons in the area, which could shed light on the situation, but there are no results so far. According to the sheriff, judging by the heavy mummification, the bodies of the deceased were likely to have been at the campsite since last winter or even autumn.
“They froze to death in the winter or died as a result of a combination of starvation and frostbite, that’s what it really looks like,” Murdy said, noting that the exact cause of death will be shown by a forensic examination.