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Wife of missing Virginia high school football coach breaks silence on his mysterious disappearance
The wife of Travis Turner, a Virginia high school football coach who disappeared during a perfect season, is breaking her silence as authorities continue to search for the 46-year-old.
Turner, head coach at Union High School in Big Stone Gap, vanished late last week and was officially declared a missing person on Sunday. His wife, Leslie Turner, took to Facebook to address the growing concern surrounding his mysterious disappearance.
“I just wanted to get on here for a second to clear up something, as of right now, 10:25PM on Friday night, Travis is missing, & that’s all we know,” she wrote in a since-deleted post obtained by News Channel 11.
“We love him & need him here with us. Thank you to everyone who has reached out with love & support. It means more than you know. Just keep praying that he comes home,” she added.
Police say Turner vanished after a complaint led officers to his home
According to Virginia State Police, Turner was last seen on Thursday wearing a gray sweatshirt and sweatpants. Officers were dispatched to his home in Appalachia that evening to investigate a complaint, though they were not there to arrest him. By the time they arrived, he was gone.
The wife of Travis Turner is breaking her silence as authorities continue to search for the 46-year-old. Credit: Facebook
Officials have not released details about the complaint. On the same day, Wise County Public Schools confirmed that an employee had been placed on administrative leave while an external agency investigated an allegation. They did not say whether Turner was that employee.
“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 in a statement, per The New York Post. “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.”
Credit: Facebook/Leslie Turner
Full-scale search launched as assistant coach steps in
Virginia State Police have now deployed search and rescue teams, drones, and K-9 units in the effort to locate Turner.
The disappearance comes as the Union High School football team was in the middle of an undefeated season. Assistant coach Jay Edwards has since stepped in to lead the team as the investigation continues.
Turner’s sudden disappearance and the silence around the nature of the investigation have left the tight-knit Big Stone Gap community with more questions than answers.