For greater than a month, a Virginia high school football coach accused of child pornography offenses has remained lacking after vanishing from his house with out a hint.
His sudden flight and consequent disappearance has left behind a surprised neighborhood — together with his spouse, kids and the workforce he as soon as led — and a path of unanswered questions.
Travis Turner, 46, is believed by his household to have walked out of his house on November 20 in Appalachia carrying a firearm and disappearing into the thick, mountainous woods. He hasn’t been seen since.
Virginia State Police mentioned they had been on their technique to go to Turner at his house, however once they arrived, the coach was already gone. Days later, they introduced the coach is wanted on 5 counts of child pornography possession and 5 counts of utilizing a pc to solicit a minor.
Here’s what we know.
The last-known contact Turner’s household had with him was on or round Thursday, November 20, when he set off into the close by woods with a firearm, the household’s lawyer, Adrian Collins, mentioned in a press release. At that point, no arrest warrants had been issued for him.
“Criminal charges were not obtained against Turner until days after he failed to return home,” he added. “He was not a fugitive nor wanted by law enforcement at the time he went missing. His wife was not helping him escape, she was asking for help to find him.”
When Turner didn’t return house that evening, his spouse instantly contacted native authorities however was knowledgeable {that a} lacking individual report couldn’t be filed till 24 hours had handed, in line with Collins. The subsequent day, she formally reported him lacking to the Virginia State Police. The household has been totally cooperative with legislation enforcement of their ongoing search for Turner, Collins mentioned.
“Police are actively searching for Turner. Since his disappearance, VSP has utilized a number of assets, including search and rescue teams, drones and k9s, to assist in the search. VSP’s main priority is locating Turner safely; he is now considered a fugitive,” Virginia State Police said in their only statement, issued on November 25.
The United States Marshals Service is offering a reward of as much as $5,000 for any data on Turner, the company introduced on its Facebook web page on December 1.
NCS has reached out to Virginia State Police and the US Marshals for an replace, however has not heard again.
A husband, father and coach
Turner’s household launched an up to date assertion by means of Collins, their lawyer, confirming their houses and properties “have been searched multiple times, with their consent.”
Turner left his automobile and keys at house, in addition to his contact lenses, glasses, pockets, license and money, Collins mentioned. Turner additionally left behind his prescribed each day medicines, “which he needs,” the lawyer mentioned. “It is not like Travis to disappear or stay away from home.”
Turner, who was listed as a bodily training instructor at Union High School in a now-removed entry on the school’s on-line employees roster, was final seen carrying a grey sweatshirt, sweatpants and glasses, state police mentioned. The company hasn’t shared any particulars about when or the place he was final seen or who could have seen him final.
“If Travis has the ability and is able to respond to his family’s wishes; your wife and children are in distress. Leslie pleads for you to come home and face the allegations by defending yourself in a court of law,” Collins mentioned. “Don’t leave your family to fight this battle without you. They love and miss you. They want you to know they are your support.”
In an electronic mail to NCS on Tuesday, Wise County Public Schools superintendent Mike Goforth mentioned the district is “aware that law enforcement has filed charges against a staff member who has been on administrative leave.” Turner will not be permitted on school property or to have contact with college students, Goforth mentioned.
In the center of rural Appalachia, a tight-knit western Virginia neighborhood of fewer than 2,000 folks shaken by unimaginable accusations has rallied behind its high school football workforce, whose season of short-lived triumph felt like a bittersweet battle for redemption.
On Facebook, the neighborhood has been vocal and unwavering, insisting that the highlight ought to be on the gamers — not the accusations surrounding their coach.
“The student athletes are not the ones charged, and should be left out of all this,” Mountain 7 Sports Report, which covers the coed video games, said in a social media post. Parents of the football gamers and different members of the neighborhood replied in settlement.
Beyond confirming that Turner is wanted on 5 counts of possession of child pornography and 5 counts of utilizing a pc to solicit a minor, Virginia State Police haven’t launched any additional data on the case towards Turner and what crimes he’s being accused of committing.
On December 9, the Wise County Circuit Court Clerk informed NCS affiliate WCYB {that a} choose ordered all information linked to the Turner investigation be sealed, together with the order that sealed them.
The Wise County School Board met for the primary time following Turner’s disappearance on December 8. During the assembly, the board chair declined to handle questions on personnel points, stating that the board’s precedence stays the scholars. Public remark was additionally taken off the assembly agenda.
An ongoing search and the thriller of his disappearance
Since Turner’s disappearance, authorities have used search and rescue groups, drones and police canine to attempt to find him, state police have said.
Searching the realm, nestled in a subrange of the Appalachian Mountains, isn’t simple.
Its rugged topography, carved by rivers and forests with elevations that fluctuate from low valleys to high peaks, makes for a difficult surroundings for search and rescue operations.
Outside of police canine and foot visitors, authorities could have to depend on expertise, like movement sensors left in an space of curiosity that ship alerts to the search workforce’s base, or drones with heat-sensing talents that may observe motion, mentioned John Miller, NCS’s chief legislation enforcement and intelligence analyst. That’s not an ideal science, he notes, given all of the exercise such sensors choose up.
If Turner is within the woods, climate might affect how he fares. Since his disappearance, the realm has seen warmer-than-normal temperatures in the course of the day and in a single day – typically with gentle rainfall, however not sufficient to flood the realm, in line with NCS meteorologist Mary Gilbert.