A high school football coach has been reported missing after disappearing in the middle of his team’s unbeaten season.
On November 22, the Virginia State Police confirmed that a search had gotten underway to find 46-year-old Travis Lee Turner. Turner is the head football coach at Union High School in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, who are currently unbeaten and have made the region playoffs, and are in contention to make the state playoffs.
State Police issued a statewide alert on November 24, four days after Turner had originally vanished while part of an investigation.
As per state police spokesperson Matthew Demlien, officers were dispatched to Turner’s home on November 20 regarding a “complaint,” but were not set to arrest him. “While in transit, the agents were informed that Turner was no longer at the location,” he told NBC.
The 46-year-old has since been listed on Virginia’s database of missing persons, noting that he was last seen in Wise County. As per the database, Turner was wearing a gray sweatshirt, sweatpants, and glasses at the time of his disappearance.
“Virginia State Police has utilized a number of assets” to “hopefully locate Turner safely,” Demlien added.
This has included search dogs and drones being deployed to near Appalachia, which is where Turner lives.
As per the New York Post, Turner’s wife, Leslie Turner, posted on Facebook about his disappearance but ultimately deleted it.
“I just wanted to get on here for a second to clear up something, as of right now, 10:25 PM on Friday night, Travis is missing, & that’s all we know,” she said in the now-deleted post.
“We love him & need him here with us. Thank you to everyone who has reached out with love & support. It means more than you know. Just keep praying that he comes home.”
Wise County Public School Superintendent Mike Goforth said Turner is on administrative leave.
