‘Circumstantial’ ID of man found dead announced by Sheriff’s Office

STONE CANYON FIRE

A single engine slurry bomber drops fire retardant over the Stone Canyon Fire in the Lyons area in 2024. PHOTOS BY MATTHEW JONAS — STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

A STRUCTURE SITS AMID THE 2024 STONE CANYON FIRE BURN SCAR IN THE LYONS AREA APRIL 17. THE FIRE STARTED JULY 30 IN THE STONE CANYON AREA AND GREW TO MORE THAN 1,500 ACRES AND DESTROYED FIVE RESIDENCES, ACCORDING TO OFFICIALS.

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By Nicky Andrews

niandrews@prairiemountainmedia.com

In what it called a “circumstantial identification” by the Boulder County Coroner’s Office, the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office has announced what officials believe is the identity of the man whose remains were found during the Stone Canyon Fire last year.

Kevin James Tracy, 74, was named in a press release as the man officials believe is the one decedent found during the fire.

According to a press release by the Sheriff’s Office, human remains were found at a single-family home located at 2602 Eagle Ridge Road in unincorporated Boulder County, just outside Lyons. In the release, the office said despite multiple attempts by various DNA analysis providers, no viable samples could be obtained to confirm the identity of the remains.

“Based on compelling circumstantial evidence presented to the Boulder County Coroner’s Office by local law enforcement, the decedent’s family, area retailers, financial institutions, and the U.S. government, the Boulder County Coroner, Jeff Martin, has concluded that the remains are believed to be those of Kevin James Tracy, age 74,” the Sheriff’s Office said in the release. “The investigation into the wildland fire determined the fire originated from the residence on Eagle Ridge Road, where the fatality occurred, and then spread to surrounding trees, brush, and wildland. The structure fire investigation determined the fire originated inside or around the exterior of the residence or the adjacent shed.”

In the release, the office said the fire has been classified as undetermined because the cause of the fire is unknown.

The fire, which broke out in July 2024, claimed five residences, according to a sheriff’s office spokesperson, and spread more than 1,500 acres, forcing evacuations in the northern half of Lyons.

The wildland fire investigation was conducted by the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control’s Fire Investigations Branch and the structure fire investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, according to the release. Assisting agencies in the investigations included Aurora Fire Rescue and Lyons Fire Protection District, the Sheriff’s Office said.