Wife of Missing Virginia High School Coach Pleads for Prayers Amid Ongoing Search
The wife of Travis Turner, the head football coach at Union High School in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, has asked the public to “keep praying” for her husband’s safe return after he mysteriously disappeared late last week during what had been an undefeated season.
In a now-deleted Facebook post obtained by News Channel 11, Leslie Turner wrote Friday night, “As of 10:25 PM, Travis is missing, and 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.”
Turner, 46, was officially reported missing on Sunday, last seen on Thursday wearing a gray sweatshirt and sweatpants, according to Virginia State Police. Officers had been dispatched to his home in Appalachia Thursday evening to investigate a complaint, though Turner was not under arrest. Upon arrival, police discovered he was no longer at the residence. Details of the complaint have not been disclosed.
On the same day, Wise County Public Schools, which oversees Union High, announced that an employee had been placed on administrative leave amid an ongoing investigation. Officials did not confirm whether Turner was the employee in question. “A staff member has been placed on administrative leave with pay while an external agency reviews an allegation that was reported to the division,” the district said. “This is standard procedure and not a determination of wrongdoing. This situation also involves an active law-enforcement matter, and the division cannot comment further.”
Virginia State Police have launched an extensive search for Turner, deploying search-and-rescue teams, K-9 units, and drones to assist in locating him.
Meanwhile, the Union High School football team, which had been celebrating an undefeated season, is continuing under the guidance of assistant coach Jay Edwards as the search for Turner continues.
