San Miguel County sheriff issues warning about armed man illegal camping in Telluride area

The San Miguel County Sheriff issued a “cautionary warning” this week astir an “armed man” who has been camping successful the Telluride country illegally.

The suspect, Ericknakoma Osterwald, 39, has been arrested 3 times successful the Norwood and Telluride areas since July 1 for charges including weapons offenses, burglary of a section laundromat, possession of methamphetamine, trespassing and theft, according to the sheriff’s office.

Sheriff issuing "cautionary warning" regarding an equipped antheral who has been illegally camping successful Telluride. The antheral has been arrested 3 times successful Norwood & Telluride areas since July 1 for charges incl weapons offenses, burglary of a section laundromat, possession of meth, trespassing, pic.twitter.com/k10JM7U94l

— San Miguel Sheriff (@SheriffAlert) August 23, 2021

“In airy of the past week’s treble homicide of campers extracurricular Moab, l privation to caution radical to beryllium alert of their surroundings,” said Sheriff William ‘Bill’ Masters successful a quality release.

A homicide investigation is ongoing successful Utah successful the shooting deaths of a mates adjacent Moab.

The bodies of Crystal Michelle Turner, 38, and Kylen Carrol Schulte, 24, were recovered Aug. 18 successful the South Mesa country of the La Sal Loop Road successful Grand County, Utah, according to the region sheriff’s bureau there.

There is nary denotation that the Colorado and Utah cases are connected.

In San Miguel County, a justice has “repeatedly” released Osterwald from jailhouse connected idiosyncratic recognizance “over the objections of the territory attorney’s office,” the sheriff said.

On Monday, much than 3 twelve weapons were recovered astir the suspect’s campsite, successful the Mill Creek country of Telluride, including knives, hatchets, a crossbow and respective swords, the sheriff’s bureau said. The tract is “illegally constructed connected backstage property,” conscionable yards from a fashionable hiking trail.

His whereabouts are chartless astatine this time, the sheriff’s bureau said.