Dr. Daniel Jinich lived the past 10 years haunted by the murder of his daughter, but his family said on Monday the Fort Collins physician did not take his own life because of that grief.

The 65-year-old was found Thursday at the base of a steep ridgeline behind his home on the east side of Horsetooth Reservoir west of Fort Collins. His brother, Sam Jinich, said his brother fell 30 to 40 feet while surveying his property.

The Larimer County Coroner’s Office ruled the death accidental and said the cause was from blunt-force trauma caused by the fall.

“Dan was not a religious person, but he was a spiritual person and firmly believed that he would never ever end his own life as a way to assure his reunion with his beloved daughter,’’ said Sam Jinich, who was in Fort Collins on Monday.

Speculation grew over whether Dr. Jinich took his own life given the deep grief he battled since his 21-year-old daughter, Johanna Justin-Jinich, was shot and killed May 6, 2009. She was working at the Wesleyan University bookstore in Middletown, Connecticut, where she was a student.

Dr. Jinich wrote an opinion piece published April 11, 2018, in the Hartford (Conn.) Courant that read in part:

“Only those who have experienced a tragedy of this magnitude can understand my suffering. I have been a dead man walking for years and, to this day, My life has been destroyed at its core. Johanna's death haunts me every day.’’

Dr. Jinich wrote the piece as a protest to the possible release of his daughter’s convicted killer from Connecticut’s maximum security psychiatric hospital.

Sam Jinich, a clinical psychologist who lives in San Francisco, and friends acknowledged his daughter’s death had greatly impacted Dr. Jinich but that he was doing much better the past year. Sam Jinich said his brother was to fly to San Diego on Friday, the day after the accident, to join the family in celebrating his mother’s birthday as well as memorializing their father who passed away.

Sam Jinich said his brother was using an app on his phone to survey his property in an area that he normally wouldn’t frequent when the fall happened on rocky, unstable terrain. Sam Jinich said his brother's medical practice staff called the Larimer County Sheriff's Office after he failed to show up for work Thursday morning. Deputies found Dr. Jinich at the base of the cliff.

Sam Jinich said the preliminary coroner’s report indicated the death was immediate and happened so fast that Dr. Jinich likely never knew what happened. He said the family is awaiting the final coroner’s report and that an autopsy will be performed.

“Dan was finally coming out of deep grief and was starting to spend more time with family and traveling a lot,’’ Sam Jinich said. “It just took a long time. I noticed he was doing better but never too far away from the deep sadness that he felt for his loss. We are devastated and shocked that this happened.’’

Sam Jinich said a small, private service will be held Tuesday followed by a larger community event memorializing his brother in the next two weeks to a month. Dr. Jinich was not married at the time of his death.

Tim Cook, a Fort Collins resident who plays in the band the subdudes, said Dr. Jinich was his family doctor for 38 years, his friend and a big fan of the band. Cook said despite him telling his friend that he would put him on the guest list whenever the band played in Fort Collins that Dr. Jinich would always buy tickets to help support his friend.

"I just talked to him Tuesday (March 26) and asked him how many tickets he needed for our Fort Collins show Friday (April 5) and he told me he already bought his tickets. We laughed about it,'' Cook said.

"Dan was in a good place. He was in great spirits and really looking forward to the show. Dan and I have shared a lot over the years and there is no way what happened to him was anything but an accident. I'm going to miss him so much.''

Jim Mokler has been a close friend of Dr. Jinich for nearly 35 years. He said he last saw his friend March 23, when the two attend a Colorado Eagles game together. Dr. Jinich was the longtime team doctor of the minor league hockey team.

Mokler said he had gone with Dr. Jinich to Connecticut for the trial of his daughter’s killer and returned last year to protest her killer's release from the mental institution. The two also enjoyed annual horseback rides with a group on Santa Catalina Island off the California coast among other travel trips.

“I’m going to miss everything about him, everything,’’ Mokler said. “It’s devastating, but at the same time, he is at peace. He had a huge impact on so many people, yet was such a humble guy. He was just an incredibly compassionate person.''

Betsy Fecteau is executive director and co-founder at 3Hopeful Hearts, a Fort Collins nonprofit that helps individuals and families with grief following a child loss. Several years ago, after Johanna's death, she approached Dr. Jinich to become a board member. He agreed, became president for four years and was compassionate helping parents in their loss, she said.

“He was so private and never wanted to be in the limelight,’’ Fecteau said. “He wouldn’t even like all the attention his death has brought. Yet he did so much and his loss will have a huge ripple effect.’’

Those wishing to honor Dr. Jinich's memory can do so through 3Hopeful Hearts, Sam Jinich said.

As for his medical practice, Dr. Jinich's staff will work to make the transition as smooth as possible for existing and former patients, Sam Jinich said.

“Dan used to say, ‘I don’t need to live a long life, I just need to live a good life,’" Sam Jinich said. “Despite the pain and tragedy in his life, I believe that wish came true for Dan. In a way, his suffering is now finally over. But that legacy of pain continues and my family can assure you that we will continue to speak on the behalf of Johanna. Dan always had our back. We now have his.’’

How to help

Those wishing to make a donation to honor Dr. Daniel Jinich can do so by contacting 3Hopeful Hearts at 970-430-6136 or www.3hopefulhearts.com.

Miles Blumhardt looks for stories that impact your life — be it news, outdoors, sports, you name it he wants to report it. Have a story idea, send it his way. Email him at milesblumhardt@coloradoan.com or find him on Twitter at @MilesBlumhardt. If you find value in these stories, support Miles and the other journalists at the Coloradoan by subscribing atColoradoan.com/subscribe