Body of veterinarian who died in ATV crash is found days later, Colorado officials say

A 60-year-old veterinarian was found dead days after leaving her home on an ATV, Colorado officials said.

Shelley Ekstrom of Conifer left her house with a neighbor on Oct. 1, according to a Facebook post by the nonprofit Justice Takes Flight – Colorado Missing Persons.

Ekstrom’s neighbor was found the following day and received medical attention, but Ekstrom remained missing, officials said.

On Oct. 3, Park County and Teller County officials searched “extremely rough terrain” and found Ekstrom dead from an ATV crash, according to a Facebook post by the Park County Coroner’s Office.

Officials didn’t specify what led to the fatal crash.

Ekstrom, who worked at Indian Tree Animal Hospital, lived in Texas before moving to Colorado and loved hiking and riding motorcycles, according to the Arvada based hospital’s website.

She was “cherished by her team, patients, clients and entire community,” according to a Facebook post by the animal hospital. “Her compassion and dedication touched the lives of many, and her absence will be deeply felt by all who knew her.”

Conifer is about a 30-mile drive southwest of Denver.

This story was originally published October 4, 2024 at 1:03 PM with the headline "Body of veterinarian who died in ATV crash is found days later, Colorado officials say."