A 21-year-old man from Gallup, New Mexico, who had been missing for several weeks, was found dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound Sunday near Vallecito Lake, northeast of Durango, police said.
The man was identified as Gregory Alexander Winkler, according to La Plata County Coroner Jann Smith.
Winkler was from Gallup but was attending New Mexico State University in Las Cruces when he went missing around mid-April.
Recently, Winkler’s truck was found parked about 5 miles up Middle Mountain Road.
Over the weekend, a search and rescue mission attempted to find Winkler in the area, a heavily forested and remote part of the San Juan Mountains.
A family member found Winkler’s body Sunday, Smith said, which was about 400 yards from where his truck was parked.
Smith said an autopsy was expected to be performed Tuesday. She said Winkler’s body had been in the forest for at least several days.
Smith was unsure why Winkler was in La Plata County. She also did not know if Winkler suffered from a history of depression.
A spokesman with the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately have information Monday morning about the incident.
jromeo@durangoherald.com
Suicide prevention resources
Help for people having suicidal thoughts or for those who fear a person is considering killing himself can be found from these sources:
Axis Health System:
24-hour hotline at 247-5245.
National Suicide Prevention Hotline:
(800) 273-TALK (8255) or text “TALK” to 741741.
RED Nacional de PrevencióN Del Suicidio:
(888) 628-9454.
National Crisis text Hotline:
741741
Fort Lewis College Counseling Center:
247-7212.
Boys Town Hotline:
(800) 448-3000.
Safe2Tell Colorado:
(877) 542-7233 or online at
.
Colorado Crisis Support Line:
(844) 493-8255 or text “TALK” to 38255 or online at
http://www.coloradocrisisservices.org/
to access a live chat available in 17 languages. The line has mental-health professionals available to talk to adults or youths about any crisis, 24 hours a day.
Trevor Project:
(866) 488-7386. Crisis intervention and suicide prevention for LGBTQ youth via online chat, text or phone.
Southern Ute Community ACtion Program:
Visit
and click on Suicide Prevention for a list of trained gatekeepers.
Second Wind Fund:
(720) 962-0706. This is not a crisis hotline, but the fund is available to youths who face social or financial barriers to crisis counseling. The organization requires a referral by a school counselor or mental-health professional.
Survivors Support GrouP:
Heartbeat of Durango meets from 6 to 8 p.m. the second Wednesday of every month at the La Plata County Fairgrounds, 2500 Main Ave. Contact Janna for information at (970) 749-1673.
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention:
Colorado chapter information available at
https://afsp.org/chapter/afsp-colorado/
For Men:
A website for adult men contemplating suicide, who often are unwilling to seek help, is available at
.
