Carbon monoxide poisoning suspected cause in death of two Park Co. residents

CODY (WNE) — Two Park County residents, Jeff McKearny, 64, and Steven Werbelow, 66, were found dead in their camper on October 23. The suspected cause of death is accidental carbon monoxide poisoning, according to county coroner Cody Gortmaker.

The two men were hunting near Eagle Creek Campground up the North Fork, which is where their bodies were found. Investigations are still ongoing, Gortmaker said.

Werbelow, who was a Powell resident, was an accomplished taxidermist and well-known in the hunting community.

“I’ve known Steven for about 10 years … he’s done a few taxidermy pieces for my family. He was a world-renowned taxidermist,” said Cord Barton of Cody.

Barton, who had been hunting with Werbelow in the past, said he was hunting in the same area as Werbelow and McKearney when they were found dead.

“I was planning on checking in with him when I finished my hunt,” Barton said.“He was an honest man that loved hunting whitetails and lions.”

According to his Linkedin profile, McKearney, a Cody resident, was a senior pastor at Cody Bible Church, a title he had held since February of 2023.

Services for McKearney will be held at Cody Bible Church at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 2.  Plans for Werbelow’s services have not been announced at time of publishing.