MARQUETTE COUNTY, Mich. – The search for a 25-year-old Northern Michigan student from West Bloomfield ended when his body was found.
Carlo Estupigan was hiking Thursday along the Yellow Dog River in Marquette County when a lake-effect snowstorm moved in, officials said. The stretch of wilderness he knew very well became tough to navigate in the storm, and Estupigan was killed, according to authorities.
The search began when Estupigan's roommates found his snow-covered car in the Yellow Dog River parking lot Friday afternoon and called police.
The Marquette County Search and Rescue Team, along with volunteers, searched and found tracks. The sheriff said footprints began to go in a circle, leading him to believe Estupigan got lost in the storm.
Estupigan's body was found late Sunday afternoon about 300 feet from County Road 510 and less than a half-mile from the river.
Estupigan left West Bloomfield for northern Michigan because of his love of nature, officials said. He was majoring in fish and wildlife.
He was also a nature photographer, and his friends and family members said he died doing what he loved.
"He was the center of so many of our fondest childhood memories," his cousin said. "He was the funniest and wisest out of all of us. He made every event memorable. Things won't be the same without him."
His parents are still in Marquette County and wanted to thank all the volunteers who helped in the search.