Travis Turner, 46, a high school football coach from Appalachia, Virginia, who has been missing since November 20 and later identified as wanted on charges involving child sexual abuse material, was reportedly last seen entering a wooded area carrying a firearm, reports Baltimore Chronicle.
According to a statement released by the law firm representing Turner’s family, the final known interaction with the coach occurred around Thursday, November 20, when he left his home to walk in the forested, mountainous terrain with a gun. At that time, attorney Adrian Collins noted that no arrest warrants had been issued against Turner.
When Turner did not return home that evening, his wife contacted local law enforcement. She was informed that a missing-person report could not be filed until 24 hours had passed. The following day, she officially reported Turner missing to the Virginia State Police, and the family has fully cooperated with authorities in the ongoing search.
Virginia State Police agents from the Bureau of Criminal Investigation Wytheville Field Office were already en route to Turner’s residence on November 20 as part of a separate investigation when they learned he was no longer at his home. Authorities later obtained ten total warrants for Turner, including five counts of possession of child pornography and five counts of using a computer to solicit a minor.
Turner is employed as a physical education teacher and serves as the head football coach at Union High School in the Wise County public school district. Despite his disappearance, Turner’s football team continued its undefeated season and reached the Virginia regional finals.
State police have been actively searching for Turner since his disappearance, deploying search and rescue teams, drones, and K9 units to aid in locating him. He is now considered a fugitive, and finding him safely remains the agency’s top priority.
The Turner family, along with friends, has also been conducting searches in the woods. Their efforts have been constrained by weather conditions and the need to respect official operations. The family hopes that Turner is safe and will have the chance to defend himself in court.
Earlier we wrote that Virginia High School Football Coach Travis Turner Reported Missing During Undefeated Season.
