Remains of Missing Mankato Man Identified in Alaska Avalanche Zone
The State Medical Examiner’s Office has confirmed that human remains recovered earlier this month in the Chugach Mountains belong to 39-year-old Montana resident Charles Eppard, formerly of Mankato. Eppard’s body was recovered on November 2 after DPS HELO 3 and a team from the Alaska Mountain Rescue Group accessed a slide area near Girdwood, a resort town south of Anchorage. His remains were transported to the State Medical Examiner’s Office for positive identification, and his next of kin have been notified.
Eppard was one of three Minnesotans who went missing in March during a backcountry ski trip. The body of David Linder was located last month in a river logjam, while the third member of the group, Jeremy Leif, remains missing. Officials with the Alaska Department of Public Safety say the search for Leif is ongoing, though challenging conditions in remote mountain terrain continue to complicate recovery efforts.
Eppard’s remains were found in an avalanche area, aligning with investigators’ belief that a slide contributed to the group’s disappearance. Alaska authorities say they will continue search operations as weather and safety conditions allow.
