UPDATE: An urgent search is underway for Travis Turner, the head football coach at Union High School in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, who has been reported missing just as his team celebrates an undefeated season. Virginia State Police officially listed Turner as a missing person on November 5, 2023, after he was last seen on November 2.
Authorities were dispatched to Turner’s home on Thursday evening for a welfare check following a complaint. However, when police arrived, he was already gone. Reports indicate that he was last seen wearing a gray sweatshirt and sweatpants. The circumstances of his disappearance remain unclear, and the community is rallying for answers.
Despite the distressing news, the Union High Bears have pressed on. Under the guidance of interim head coach Jay Edwards, the team secured a 12-0 victory against Graham High School in a regional semifinal match just one day after Turner went missing. The Bears, now with an impressive 11-0 regular season record, are gearing up to face Ridgeview High School next.
As the search intensifies in Wise County, authorities are deploying drones, K-9 units, and multiple law enforcement agencies to locate Turner. “We have had the drones up in the air looking, searching,” stated Jason Day of the Virginia State Police on WJHL. “K-9 units, bloodhounds from local departments and the sheriff’s office have been into the woods searching the local area where Mr. Turner was last seen.”
Community members are anxious for updates as the search continues, and social media is abuzz with concern for the beloved coach. The emotional toll on the team and the town is palpable, as everyone hopes for Turner’s safe return.
The situation is developing rapidly, and authorities urge anyone with information to come forward. As the Bears prepare for their next game, the focus remains on finding their missing coach.
Stay tuned for updates as this story unfolds.
