Federal authorities in the United States have announced a cash reward for information leading to the location of a missing high school football coach, who disappeared after being accused of possessing child pornography.
Nationwide Manhunt for Missing Coach
The US Marshals Service is offering up to $5,000 for tips that result in the capture of Travis Turner, the 46-year-old former head coach of Union High School's football team in rural Virginia. The Marshals confirmed to local media they are assisting in the search but are not leading the underlying investigation.
Turner, a father-of-three, vanished on November 20, just before Virginia State Police officers arrived at his home in Appalachia. According to his family, he left the property armed with a firearm and walked into a heavily wooded and mountainous area.
A large-scale multi-agency operation involving the US Marshals, Virginia State Police, and the FBI has been underway since his disappearance. Search teams have utilised drones, K9 units, and ground personnel in an effort to track him down.
Warrants Issued After Disappearance
Legal representatives for the Turner family state that at the time he left his home, no active warrants existed for his arrest. His wife, Leslie Turner, promptly reported him missing when he failed to return that evening.
Subsequently, authorities have issued warrants for Turner's arrest on five counts of possession of child pornography and five counts of using a computer to solicit a minor. The Wise School District and law enforcement have been reticent about the probe, with officials reportedly instructed not to leak case details.
A spokesman for Wise County Public Schools confirmed awareness of the charges, stating the individual remained on leave and was barred from school property or contact with students. Union High School has since removed Travis Turner's profile from its website.
Family's Defence and Ongoing Impact
In an exclusive interview, Turner's wife, Leslie, a 46-year-old paralegal, vehemently denied the allegations against her husband. "None of that is true. He's a good dad and a good husband and we want him home. That's it," she told the Daily Mail.
The family's attorney, Adrian Collins, released a statement expressing gratitude for public concern and reiterating the family's full cooperation with law enforcement. Friends and family have also conducted their own limited searches of the surrounding woods.
The case has cast a shadow over Union High School's successful football season. The team, which Turner led to regional prominence since 2011, winning him Coach of the Year honours twice, secured a state playoff victory last weekend.
Turner's son, Bailey Turner, 23, a former Bears quarterback and now a member of the coaching staff, was visibly emotional on the sidelines but continued in his duties. He described the win as "bittersweet" and thanked the community for its support but declined to comment further on his father's disappearance. The team is scheduled to play in a state semifinal on December 6.
Travis Turner remains listed as a missing person on the Virginia State Police website.
