Deputies: Mountain lion didn't kill California man

Dennis Dorsey, 49, Pleasant Hill, Calif., most likely died in a fall from the Owyhee Bluffs in a remote part of northeast Nevada, Elko County sheriff's deputies said.

"We think he fell, had an internal injury bad enough he could not get out of there," Sheriff's deputy Marvin Morton said. His remains were then consumed by coyotes and other scavengers, he said.

The victim's family was taken to the site this week and, after viewing the scene, were convinced that Dorsey could've fallen down the cliffs, Morton said.

"It was steep country and it was loose rock," Morton said.

"His wife said he was quite the explorer, he liked to find places like this and explore them. When he called from Orovada, he told his wife he wasn't going to be calling for a couple of days, he was going to be in a remote area," he said.

Guide Wilde Brough discovered the pickup truck belonging to the missing Dorsey about 11 miles west of Midas while hunting for big horn sheep two weeks ago.

Sheriff's deputies began a search on Nov. 6 but found only some shredded clothing. They later discovered a skull, which was identified through dental records as Dorsey's.

Sheriff Neil Harris called in mountain lion experts, including trapper Derril Fry, and two lion-hunting dogs on Monday.

Sheriff's deputy Dave Prahl also rappelled down a cliff and entered two caves on the bluffs that deputies believed could've been inhabited by lions, but didn't find any evidence of them.

archive