Troopers Tentatively Identify Remains Found at Dock as Those of Matt Asturi

The remains found at Trail Lake have been tentatively as those of Matt Asturi. Image-Facebook profile.
The remains found at Trail Lake have been tentatively as those of Matt Asturi. Image-Facebook profile.

Alaska State Troopers stated today, that they believe that a Nevada man who has been missing for over two months, has now been found deceased near the Trail Lake Lodge dock.

33-year-old Nevada man, Matt Asturi, who had just moved to Alaska to work as a seasonal cook, had gone out on the Upper Trail Lake on April 20th. Witnesses at the scene reported that Asturi had been drinking prior to going out on the lake in a canoe.

Shortly after going out, the canoe that Asturi had gone out in was spotted overturned on the lake. Witnesses say that they had seen him paddling on the lake just 15 minutes prior. The incident was called in at 9:12 pm that day and Moose Pass Fire personnel, Bear Creek Volunteer Fire Department personnel, and Alaska State Troopers responded to the lake. After an  extensive search of the area in two boats, the search was called off until the following day.

The next day, air assets, as well as boats, continued the search via air and water, while ground searchers walked the shoreline. That search was fruitless. The search continued for days following, and on the 27th of April, side scan sonar was utilized in the search, it too provided no results and the search for Asturi was called off.

At approximately 12 noon on Tuesday, troopers were notified that a body was found at Trail Lake near the Trail lake Lodge dock. Alaska State Troopers responded to the area and retrieved the remains, and tentatively identified the remains as those of Asturi. 

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The remains have been sent to the State Medical Examiner’s office in Anchorage for positive identification.

Asturi’s next of kin were notified of this latest development.