From the New York Post: The mystery surrounding a high-school football coach’s sudden disappearance in the middle of an undefeated season has deepened after the school district revealed an unidentified staff member was placed on leave over an ongoing probe.
Travis Turner, the head grid coach at Union High School in Big Stone Gap, Va., was still listed as a missing person on the Virginia State Police database as of Monday after he vanished late last week, cops confirmed to The Post.
Police had earlier disclosed they were en route to the 46-year-old’s home in Appalachia on Thursday as part of the “early stages of an investigation” when he went missing.
Cops did not reveal what the probe was about.
“This was part of the investigation, and NOT to arrest [Turner],” police said in a statement. “While in transit, the agents were informed that Turner was no longer at the location.”
Turner was last seen walking into the woods near his home.
According to News Channell 11, Jason Day with the Virginia State Police said, “We have had the drones up in the air looking, searching. We tried to, get the state police aviation, but they were unable to fly yesterday because of the weather. We’ve had, K-9 units, bloodhounds from local departments, sheriff’s office here, and wise state police dogs into the woods, searching, you know, the local area of last known, place where, Mr. Turner may have been or had seen.”
Reportedly, at the time Turner disappeared, officials at Wise County Public Schools — which oversees Union High — revaled that an employee within the district had been placed on administrative leave. However, the school district has not confirmed whether that person was Turner.
The coach’s disappearance comes at a time when his team has just enjoyed an undefeated season that they should all be celebrating.
Turner’s wife, Leslie Caudill Turner, posted a now-deleted statement on her Facebook page Saturday, writing, “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.”
“We love him and need him here with us. Thank you to everyone who has reached out with love and support. It means more than you know. Just keep praying that he comes home,” she added.
Based on a family photo posted on her Facebook page, the couple have two sons and a daughter.
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