National Guardsman falls to his death down waterfall trying to rescue dog

A National Guardsman fell to his death down Kentucky's steepest waterfall Friday while trying to rescue his runaway dog, police said.

Isaac Lee Turpin’s body was found by an out-of-town family when they saw his backpack sticking out of the water at the bottom of the Yahoo Falls around 11:30 a.m.

Turpin was only 23 years old, and police think he slipped running after his dog Cujo, who had broken loose during the hike.

He frequently hiked in the area and lived 30 miles from the falls, according to family and friends.

Cujo was later found and returned to Turpin's fiancee, Cherish Menken.

He received the National Defense Medal, Army Service Ribbon and Armed Forces Service Medal before his death.