Investigators ruled out suicide and concluded McGuire’s death was a tragic accident likely caused by distraction or fatigue.
The pilot and other personnel on board were questioned, but no one had realized he was missing his gear before the jump.
His body was recovered roughly a mile from the landing area.
Nancy Fayard, whose husband owned the parachute center, said staff were devastated by the loss. “Of course, no one knew, or they would have stopped him,” she told reporters.
McGuire’s death sent shockwaves through the skydiving world and prompted renewed scrutiny over safety protocols.
For those who knew him, he was a respected professional whose final moments are a haunting cautionary tale about even the smallest lapse in preparation in high-risk activities.
