The case of a missing Virginia high school football coach has taken a shockingly dark turn, with police revealing that Travis Turner is under investigation for child porn and soliciting a minor.
During an update on Tuesday, police said that Turner is wanted for five counts of child pornography and another five of using a computer to solicit a minor, with 10 warrants issued for his arrest late Monday.
“Police are actively searching for Turner,” state police said without elaborating on the exact nature of the allegations.
Turner, the head coach of Union High School’s undefeated football team in Big Stone Gap, has not been seen since Thursday and officially was listed as a missing person on Monday.
In the initial police statement, officers were said to be en route to Turner’s residence on Thursday night as part of the “early stages of an investigation.”
“This was part of the investigation, and NOT to arrest (Turner),” police said in a statement. “While in transit, the agents were informed that Turner was no longer at the location.”
On Friday, it was confirmed that the school district placed an unidentified staff member on leave.
School board puts employee on leave
Officials at Wise County Public Schools — which oversees Union High — disclosed that an employee within the district had been placed on administrative leave.
“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.
“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.”
The statement offered no further elaboration on the identity of the person or what the investigation entailed.
Police and the school district would not confirm if the two cases were connected.
Leslie Caudill Turner, Travis’ wife, shared in a since-deleted Facebook post on Friday that the coach was missing “and that’s all we know.”
Wife makes statement
She added: “We love him and need him here with us. Just keep praying that he comes home.”
State police said Turner, 46, was wearing a grey sweatshirt and sweatpants during his last known appearance.
In an interview last week with Union Sports Network, Turner appeared upbeat ahead of his school’s big playoff game on Friday.
“It’s going to be a battle here … and our kids be ready,” Turner said in an interview posted on Instagram just five days before he vanished.
“Their coaches do a great job,” he said of the opponents, Graham High School. “They’re very athletic … They’re strong up front and they’re just well coached.”
Team plays without missing coach
The football team scored a 12-0 win against Graham High School on Friday — with assistant Jay Edwards guiding the team as interim head coach — to advance to the regional final after putting up an undefeated record of 11-0 in the regular season.
According to News Channel 11, search efforts for Turner have ramped up with multiple law enforcement agencies involved as well as drones and K-9 units.
“We have had the drones up in the air looking, searching,” Jason Day of the state police told the outlet. “We tried to get the state police aviation, but they were unable to fly yesterday because of the weather.
“We’ve had K-9 units, bloodhounds from local departments, sheriff’s office here, and Wise state police dogs into the woods, searching, you know, the local area of last known place where Mr. Turner may have been or had seen.”
Turner, who won three state championships as a player from 1994-97, has served as the head coach at Union since 2011 and twice has been named the Southwest Virginia Coach of the Year.