DENVER (KDVR) A missing man who was last seen in late April was found dead in Coal Creek near Superior, according to officials.
Paul Aragon, 34, was reported missing by his mother on May 8, after his truck with his dog inside was found in Broomfield on May 2. His family last heard from him on April 28 or 29. He missed work on May 5 and had been living in his truck.
On Thursday, the Boulder County Coroner’s Office stated that Aragon was the individual discovered in Coal Creek in unincorporated Boulder County near Superior. They did not confirm if foul play is suspected.
The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office informed FOX31 that Aragon’s body was found Tuesday morning by a Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks vegetation crew. Authorities mentioned that they found decomposed human remains about 150 yards east of the Flatirons Vista Trailhead.
Police officers discovered Aragon’s pickup truck at 3:15 a.m. on May 2 in a construction area off Edgeview Drive near the WoodSpring Suites. The truck’s engine was reportedly running, its lights were on, and Aragon’s dog was inside.
“I didn’t think it was serious. Paul is very independent and strong. He’s probably one of the toughest people I know,” Mercedes Hess told FOX31’s Alliyah Sims during a search effort at the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge on July 6. “I wasn’t initially worried. But when they found his truck, panic struck. He wouldn’t leave that dog. He loves that dog.”
Hess mentioned to Sims that she had been Aragon’s girlfriend for about five months and the couple worked as peer coaches for Superior Connections, a transitional house based in Colorado Springs.
“He helped a lot of people with their addictions,” Hess said. “He was really there for a lot of people. This has been hard. I can’t imagine how his family feels.”
Police said that when they found Aragon’s truck, they searched the surrounding area on foot and with a drone, but found nothing. Aragon was not staying at the hotel and did not answer his phone when officers tried to reach him.
On May 3, just after midnight, a second officer checked on the vehicle and discovered the dog was still inside. Because of concerns for the dog’s welfare, the animal was taken from the truck and placed at a local shelter. That was also when police notified Aragon’s mother of the dog being located.
Aragon’s phone also reportedly pinged near where the search was held in the Rocky Mountain Flats.
