it wasn't an accident...

for those who have been there, this was no accident.

Body found in Colorado identified as ex-Rhode Islander
01:00 AM EST on Wednesday, December 15, 2010
By Thomas J. Morgan and Donita Naylor


The police in Aspen, Colo., confirmed Tuesday that a body found under a bridge Monday is that of 28-year-old George Aldrich Jr., a Rhode Island man who has been missing since late November.

The Pitkin County Coroner’s office said Tuesday night that Aldrich’s death appeared to be accidental.

“The cause of death was multiple trauma blunt force injury secondary to a fall from the Maroon Creek Bridge,” according to a statement from the coroner’s office, forwarded by the Aspen police. “The manner of death was accidental. Toxicology is pending.” the report said.

The police say Aldrich’s body was found Monday by off-duty members of Mountain Rescue Aspen who were keeping their promise to the Aldrich family to keep looking for him.

Aldrich had lived in Cranston and Newport before moving to Colorado to work as a Snowmass ski-lift operator.

His body was found 107 feet below the bridge, near where he was last seen on Nov. 27, when he got off at the wrong bus stop after meeting friends at a bar.

The Aspen news website Realaspen.com posted a statement from Brooke Aldrich-Glasgow, Aldrich’s sister: “We have confirmation that Georgie is at peace. His earthly body was found by the Maroon Creek Bridge in Truscott. An area that had been searched by the best Search and Rescue teams, dogs and our family.

“My Dad and brother are already on their way to Aspen to bring Georgie home. We ask for your continued prayers while we figure out what happened to Georgie.”

Aldrich’s other sister, Brianna, said the family would have no further comment.

A report by Brent Gardner-Smith on aspendailynews.com quoted Assistant Police Chief Bill Linn as saying that the scene suggested the death was an accident, “however, we investigate any situation like this as though it is a homicide.” Doug Paley, president of Mountain Rescue Aspen, said finding the body was a fluke.

Police Chief Richard Pryor said the body was in “a slight depression in the ground, [and] was mostly likely snow-covered for most of the last two weeks, which clearly makes it very difficult for searchers to locate.”

Pryor said Aldrich’s gray plaid jacket, pulled up over his head, helped camouflage the body. “It was very difficult to see his body from a distance of about six feet. While the area was searched multiple times, I firmly believe we did all we could under the circumstances, and that we were actually very fortunate to discover him.”

Law-enforcement officers were led to the site and still couldn’t see the body until Mountain Rescue personnel gave them increasingly specific directions.

The chief expressed what was on the minds of many: “To have his life end like this is an absolute tragedy, and I think everyone in the community feels that way.”

Aldrich is a 2001 graduate of Providence’s La Salle Academy, where his father, George Aldrich Sr., is the director of admissions.

La Salle issued the following statement Tuesday afternoon: “It is with great sadness that we learned of the discovery of the body of George Aldrich. … As a student at La Salle Academy, Georgie touched our minds and hearts in a significant way. The entire La Salle Academy community extends its deepest condolences to the Aldrich family at this difficult time.

“We are also deeply appreciative of all those in our community, and throughout the country, who have been a support to the Aldrich family over these two weeks. While the outcome was one none of us wished to consider, the love and compassion extended to the Aldrich family should give all of us great comfort in the goodness of our extended community, especially during this Christmas season. Please continue to pray for the Aldrich family as they mourn the loss of their son and brother.”

People were leaving condolences on the Facebook page Find George Aldrich Tuesday. Elaine and Brian LaFleur of New Bedford posted a photo of themselves with Aldrich taken last spring.

George was their favorite guide at Segway of Newport, where they took tours whenever they could.

They last saw him in on a beautiful day in October, just days before he left for Colorado. “George told us he had a new job; he was really looking forward to it,” Elaine LaFleur said Tuesday. “He was a snowboarder and skier, and he was looking for new adventures.

“We hated to see him leave,” she said. “He was great on those tours.”

She said he was outgoing, had a great personality, and “You could tell he had ambition. I was a former teacher. He just impressed me as a really great kid.”