A chilling turn of events has shaken the small community of Appalachia, Virginia — 46-year-old Travis Turner, the head football coach at Union High School, is now a fugitive after being charged with multiple counts of child pornography and solicitation of a minor. The coach vanished on November 20, just days before his undefeated team was set to play a regional final.
According to the Virginia State Police (VSP), investigators secured 10 felony warrants Monday: five counts of possession of child sexual abuse material, and another five for using a computer to solicit a minor. Authorities say more charges may still be pending as the probe continues.
Officials say special agents from VSP’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation visited Turner’s home last week as part of an investigation — not to arrest him. But while en route, police were notified that Turner had already disappeared. He was last seen wearing a gray sweatshirt, gray sweatpants and glasses.
Since then, the search has ballooned into a full-scale manhunt. Authorities have deployed drones, K-9 teams, and rescue units across the mountainous terrain near Appalachia, reportedly canvassing wooded cul-de-sacs and remote areas in hopes of finding him. Despite those efforts, Turner remains at large.
For the community, the timing could not be worse. Union High School, perched on the edge of rural southwestern Virginia, had enjoyed a 12-0 season under Turner’s leadership and was weeks away from a potential state semifinal berth. Now the undefeated team must carry on under the guidance of an interim coach. Schools district officials confirmed Turner is on administrative leave and barred from any school property or student contact.
In a brief statement on behalf of the family, their attorney said they remain “prayerful for his safe return,” urging the public and media to refrain from speculation. At the same time, residents of the tight-knit community grapple with disbelief, sadness, and anger — many struggling to reconcile the coach they trusted with the charges now laid against him.
As of now, there is no sign of Turner. Law enforcement continues to urge anyone with information to contact the Virginia State Police. For a town that rallied around Friday-night lights and football triumphs, the hunt for their missing coach has become a haunting search for truth — and perhaps, justice.
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