Wednesday, October 26, 2016

 Press Release:  
Kane County Sheriff’s Office
By: Chief Deputy Alan Alldredge
Date: 10/26/2016
Time: 1500 Hours

Hunter dies after Slipping off cliff
At approximately 1:15 a.m. on Tuesday October 25,2016,  Kane County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch received a call about an overdue individual who had been deer hunting near Wahweap Wash, which is located east of Grosvenor Arch off of Cottonwood Canyon Road.  The family’s last contact with 42 year old Ryan Shakespear from Cedar City was around 6:30 Monday evening.  The family has a cabin in the area and had been in contact with Ryan by radio.  Ryan’s family had started searching just after dark on Monday and searched all night in the mud and rain trying to locate him.  Shakespear was familiar with the area but the Heavy rains which had been occurring in the area caused the family to be concerned about his well being.  When he had not returned by Tuesday morning, Kane County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue began formulating a response plan.  A helicopter from Classic Air Medical out of Page Arizona was contacted to assist with the search efforts.  A search and rescue squad was dispatched out of Kanab, Utah with the equipment to search the roads and trails with 4 wheel drive vehicles, hiking crews that could search on foot, and a rope rescue team if needed for a canyoneering type rescue.   While in route to the area, the search crews were notified that family member had located Ryan.  Ryan’s brothers were able guide his father and an uncle to his location.  The uncle confirmed that Ryan was deceased.  It appears he had lost his footing and had fallen approximately 150 feet.  Because of his location at the bottom of the cliff it was possible that a rope rescue team would be needed to get him out.

The helicopter crew determined that they could land close to the Shakespear’s body in the bottom of the canyon.  They flew to Kanab and picked up the Kane County Sheriff’s Office medical investigator and transported him to the scene.  After completing the investigation of the accident scene by the investigator, Ryan’s body was transported by the helicopter to  Sheriff’s Office personnel who were waiting at Grosvenor Arch.   Ryan was then transferred to Mosdell Mortuary from Kanab who transported him to the Utah State Medical Examiner’s Office who will determine the cause of death.

Ryan Leaves behind a wife and 6 children.  He worked for the BLM located in Cedar City, Utah.

The Kane County Sheriff’s Office and Search crews wish to express their condolences to Ryan’s  family and co-workers for their loss.