Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — Hours after a 51-year-old Steamboat Springs man was released from jail because of allegations of sexual activity with a family member, authorities suspect he took his own life.

Authorities said the man was found dead Thursday morning outside his home in the 40000 block of County Road 36.

Routt County Sheriff John Warner said the man died because of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

Routt County Coroner Doug Allen said that is the preliminary cause of the man's death, but an official determination will not be made until an autopsy has been conducted and toxicology results are available.

Allen said an official cause of death will be available by next week.

The man is not being identified because it is Steamboat Today's policy not to print the names of suspects accused of a sexual crime.

However, the newspaper will print the names of suspects who are found guilty of a sexual crime.

The man was booked into the Routt County Jail Tuesday after Warner's office conducted a weeklong investigation regarding the man's relationship with a younger family member.

Warner said the victim's parents reported the allegations, which involve inappropriate touching.

The man appeared in Routt County Court Wednesday afternoon. During the court proceeding, Deputy District Attorney David Moffat notified the court he had filed a class three felony against the man.

Because of the charge, Judge James Garrecht set the man's bail at $20,000.

During the hearing, Garrecht also sealed the man's court file, which documents the allegations, at Moffat's request.

For most of the hearing, the man sat in the jury box with his head down.

After the proceeding, Moffat would not disclose what charge he filed against the man. He declined to reveal the charge because he said he had an obligation to protect the victim in this case.

Jail records show the man posted the bond at about 6 p.m. Wednesday.

Warner's office was notified of the man's death at about 8 a.m. Warner said the man was found by his wife in a wooded area near the home.