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Bodies of 24-year-old mom, her son discovered at Rocky Mountain National Park in apparent murder-suicide

Sky-Hi News staff report

The two bodies found Friday at Rocky Mountain National Park were identified Monday as those of a young woman and her 17-month-old son.

On its website, the Larimer County Coroner’s Office identified the deceased as Tristen Watson, 24, of Colorado Springs and her son, Christopher.

The coroner’s office has ruled Tristen Watson’s death a suicide and her son’s a homicide. Both were found Friday at Rocky Mountain National Park with gunshot wounds to the head. No other information is being released by the coroner’s office.



A Monday news release from Rocky Mountain National Park notes the National Park Service investigation is ongoing.

On Friday, park rangers were alerted to a suicidal person who they were told was likely in the park.



After that, they found the vehicle near Upper Beaver Meadows Road on the east side of the park, and while searching for the vehicle’s occupants, discovered the two bodies on Beaver Meadow Trail.

Park rangers conducted an on scene investigation, and the bodies were taken to the Larimer County Coroner’s Office for examination.

Assisting park rangers during the incident were Estes Park and Loveland police, the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office and Colorado Parks and Wildlife.


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