Family of Portland hiker killed in remote Washington sues alleged gunman, father

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The family of a Portland hiker and his dog shot and killed while camping in a remote part of Washington has filed a $3 million wrongful death lawsuit against the alleged gunman and his father.

Friends and family of Aron Christensen said he was a vibrant soul who deeply loved people, animals and the great outdoors. But a hiking trip to Washington's Gifford Pinchot National Forest turned deadly.

Monday marked the two-year anniversary of Aron's death, the same week the lawsuit was filed, as originally reported in The Oregonian.

Ethan Asbach told Lewis County deputies he shot Aron and his puppy, Buzzo, mistaking Aron for a wild animal. The gun was given to Ethan illegally by his father, Michael Asbach.

Court documents show Ethan confessed to the shooting and Michael confessed to giving him the gun. Still, authorities never pressed charges, citing a lack of evidence.

Because Ethan was 19 at the time of the incident, it was illegal for him to bring the gun into the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. Under Washington state law, people 18-21 have restrictions on where they can legally carry a gun.

The lawsuit said Lewis County Sheriff's Office Detective James McGinty spoke with Aron's brother, Corey, telling him he thought Ethan was a "good kid from a good family" and had no bad intentions despite allegedly leaving Aron abandoned in the woods for 48 hours without getting any help.

Detective McGinty also allegedly suggested Aron's death may have been due to "laced marijuana or psychedelic mushrooms" found on his person, rather than from being shot, the lawsuit said.

Corey previously told KOIN 6 News he wanted justice for Aron and Buzzo.

"Our mission is to make sure that Aron's death gets a full and fair investigation," Corey told KOIN 6 in June of 2023. "The prosecutor himself stated that has not happened yet."

Aron's family is now suing both Ethan and his father, Michael, for $1.5 million each, citing "extreme emotional distress." They're also pushing for changes in how law enforcement handles these cases and a thorough re-investigation.

The lawsuit alleges, "As a direct and proximate cause of Ethan's conduct, Aron (and Buzzo) are now dead, and Plaintiffs are permanently deprived of Aron's companionship and economic contributions to the family. In addition, Plaintiffs have suffered extreme emotional distress and economic loss as a consequence of needlessly losing Aron."

The lawsuit states Lewis County Sheriff's Deputy Andrew Scrivner was the first person to handle the crime scene near the Walupt Lake area on the afternoon of Aug. 20, 2022, after "hikers discovered Aron's and Buzzo's remains and observed an obvious gunshot wound in Aron's abdomen."

The lawsuit alleges that Deputy Scrivner blatantly disregarded Lewis County Sheriff's Office orders to not move the body. As a result, the deputy allegedly destroyed the crime scene, didn't conduct key forensic tests and evidence was exposed to cross-contamination.

The lawsuit against the Asbachs claims negligence and wrongful death.

The attorneys representing Aron's family have also filed a $20 million tort claim against Lewis County for mishandling the case, citing the response by Deputy Scrivner, in particular. A tort claim is not a lawsuit but may lay the groundwork for one in the future.

KOIN 6 News reached out to the Asbachs for comment and we are still waiting to hear back.