Steamboat Pilot & Today

Toxicology tests on Max Knight, the Steamboat man found dead in a tent near State Bridge on Monday morning, are expected back by next week.

Until then, Eagle County Coroner Kara Bettis said she has no comment on the cause of Knight's death and that the cause or manner of death cannot be determined until the toxicology reports come back. A report released by the Eagle County Sheriff's Office said Knight died because of a seizure caused by either a rare heart condition or toxins in his body.

Meanwhile, a co-worker initially jailed on suspicion of killing Knight has left the Eagle County Jail on a personal recognizance bond.

Christopher Mack, 26, left the jail Friday morning after signing the bond, which requires no money but states that he agrees to return to court on his June 8 arraignment, Eagle County Sheriff spokeswoman Kim Andree said.

On Wednesday, officials said they had no intention of filing homicide charges against Mack, who turned himself in Monday and was detained on suspicion of second-degree murder.

It is unlikely that Mack will be charged with a felony drug charge for allegedly consuming psilocybin mushrooms, Andree said.

"I don't think anything's going to be pursued," she said, because Mack gave police information to help and should not be in trouble for telling the truth.

"How would you feel if you told us something in helping us, and we turned around and said, 'Gotcha,'" Andree said.

According to the sheriff's report, Max and Knight, who worked for Mambo Italiano in Steamboat Springs, had driven to State Bridge together early Sunday morning for a concert. They had been drinking alcohol and took psilocybin mushrooms about 5 p.m., officials said, then started fighting later that night.

When Mack woke up Monday morning, he found Knight not breathing in his tent and thought he had killed him, the sheriff's report states.

An autopsy Tuesday did not find any evidence of homicide, Bettis said.

-- To reach Susan Bacon, call 871-4203

or e-mail sbacon@steamboatpilot.com