The death of Gregg Cuthbert, owner of Four Corners Framed Art in Gem Village, has been ruled as a suicide by the La Plata County Coroner.

Sheriff's deputies did a welfare check on March 12 in the 39,000 block of U.S. Highway 160 when friends said they had not heard from him in several days, the La Plata County Sheriff's office wrote in a statement.

Deputies entered the residence and found Cuthbert's body with a firearm next to it, and no signs of foul play.

Cuthbert, 50, started Four Corners Framed Art in 1998 and had completed more than 100,000 frame jobs. He ran the business in its Gem Village location for years, moved it to Pagosa Springs, then came back to the Bayfield area about a year ago.

According to his obituary, Cuthbert was raised in Houston, Texas, and worked for the fire department there.

He enjoyed the outdoors and riding his Harley Davidson. His Facebook page has several pictures of stunning views of local scenery.

He is survived by his parents and a brother of Bayfield and a daughter in Houston.

"Thank you for those who were Gregg's customers and for those who expressed loyalty and friendship to Gregg," his family wrote in the obituary.