Autopsy results confirmed that a 25-year-old Kalispell man whose body was discovered in Glacier National Park died in a fall, while an investigation into his death continues, according to local authorities.
The National Park Service and FBI are continuing to investigate the death of Cody Lee Johnson. A memorial service for Johnson was held July 22.
Results from the State Crime Lab in Missoula showed Johnson’s fatal injuries were consistent with a fall being the cause of death, according to Flathead County Undersheriff Dave Leib.
Johnson’s body was found July 12 below The Loop area of Going-to-the-Sun Road.
Authorities reported him missing nearly a week earlier. His uncle told police that Johnson’s wife said Johnson went out with some friends for a joy ride and didn’t return.
On July 12, around 9:45 a.m., park dispatch received a report of a body located just below The Loop. Due to the steep and rocky terrain, a helicopter and specialized short-haul rescue team from Parks Canada assisted with the recovery of the body, along with the police department, the sheriff’s office and FBI.
The FBI became involved in the investigation when other agencies could not immediately rule out foul play as a cause of death.
Johnson was born in San Jose, Calif., and moved to Montana as a teenager in 2002, according to an obituary from Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home in Kalispell. He worked at Nomad Global Communication Solutions and “loved the work he was doing and the friends he met there,” the obituary read.