ST. GEORGE — A St. George man reported missing to Nevada authorities was found dead in the Valley of Fire State Park one month after he was last seen alive.
On Feb. 10, a missing persons report was filed with the Las Vegas Metro Police Department involving Peter Droste, 63, of St. George, who was last seen at 10 a.m. the previous day.
Leslie Honeycutt, with the Clark County Office of the Medical Examiner-Coroner, told St. George News that on March 9, Droste was found dead in the Valley of Fire State Park, which is approximately 45 miles northeast of Las Vegas.
Honeycutt said the autopsy revealed that Droste had a significant cardiac condition, but the actual cause of death was determined to be hypothermia, caused by exposure to the elements, and the manner of death was ruled as accidental.
At the time of the missing persons report, authorities in Las Vegas released a flyer stating that Droste was last seen in the Moapa Valley area wearing a dark gray sweater and blue jeans. The release also stated the man was “possibly in severe emotional distress and in need of medical assistance.”
No further information was available at the time of this report.
This report is based on statements from police, emergency personnel or other responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.