US Marshals offer reward for arrest of Travis Turner as hunt goes on for high school coach wanted on child porn charges
Federal law enforcement is offering a cash reward to aid the capture of fugitive high school football coach Travis Turner – who disappeared after he was accused of possessing child pornography.
US Marshals are offering up to $5,000 for any information leading to the capture of Turner, the former head coach of Union High School’s football team in rural Virginia.
Marshals clarified to WCYB in Bristol, Virginia that they are helping with the search, but are not involved in the investigation.
In addition to the Marshals and Virginia State Police (VSP), the FBI is also involved in the search for the 46-year-old.
The father-of-three vanished on November 20 – right before VSP officers arrived at his home. His family said he left the property armed with a gun and walked into a ‘heavily wooded and mountainous area.’
Since then, a large-scale manhunt has been deployed in the attempt to capture him.
US Marshals joined the search for wanted Virginia high school football coach Travis Turner
A younger Travis Turner is seen alongside his wife, Leslie. The couple lives in Western Virginia.
Lawyers for the Turner family say Travis did not have any active warrants for his arrest issued at the time he left his home.
Since then, authorities have put out warrants for Turner’s arrest on five counts of possession of child pornography and five counts of soliciting a minor.
Law enforcement and the Wise School District have remained tight lipped about the probe into Turner, with sources telling the Daily Mail that they have been told not to leak any details about the case.
Earlier in the week, a spokesman for Wise County Public Schools, which oversees Union High, said the district is aware of the charges and, without naming Turner, declined further comment.
‘The individual remains on leave and is not permitted on school property or to have contact with students,’ read a statement.
But in the days after that statement, Union High School removed Turner’s profile from their website.
Currently, the only ‘Turner’ listed as a member of staff is Travis’ son, Bailey.
The removal of Turner’s profile comes after Turner’s wife exclusively told the Daily Mail that the child porn charges against her husband are untrue.
Turner is wanted on five counts of possession of child pornography and five counts of using a computer to solicit a minor
Turner was last seen going into the woods with a firearm before police arrived at his home
At the couple’s home in Appalachia, Turner’s paralegal wife Leslie, also 46, said she had no knowledge of her husband’s alleged inappropriate contact with minors.
‘I don’t know anything. I don’t know anything. I’m sorry,’ she said.
When asked about the child porn charges for which police are seeking Turner, Leslie rose to her husband’s defense: ‘None of that is true. He’s a good dad and a good husband and we want him home. That’s it.’
She added that it remains a difficult time for the family as police continue to search for Turner, who vanished late last week.
‘We are all just hanging in there until we get news,’ she said.
A statement released by the family’s attorney, Adrian Collins, read: ‘On behalf of the family of Travis Turner, I wish to express their sincere gratitude to all who have shown concern during this difficult time.
‘The last known contact the family had with Travis occurred on or about Thursday, November 20, after he left his residence to walk in the woods with a firearm. He is believed to have entered a heavily wooded and mountainous area. At which point, no warrants had been issued for his arrest.
‘When Travis did not return home that evening, his wife promptly notified local law enforcement. She was advised that a missing-person report could not be taken until at least 24 hours had passed.
Turner’s wife Leslie told the Daily Mail the child porn charges against her husband are untrue
‘The following day, she filed a missing-person report with the Virginia State Police. The family has cooperated fully with law-enforcement in their ongoing efforts to locate Travis.
‘Family members and friends have also conducted search efforts in the surrounding woods. These efforts have been limited by weather conditions and with respect for the official operations underway.’
Police have been utilizing search and rescue teams, drones and even K9 units to track down Turner after they were unable to locate him following his disappearance.
He remains listed as a missing person on the Virginia State Police website.
Since taking over at Union in 2011, Turner has twice been honored as Southwest Virginia Coach of the Year as his Bears established themselves as a regional power.
Bailey Turner, 23, was present as the Union High School Bears continued their impressive year
Bailey was fighting back tears as he tried to keep a distance from the cheering and screaming
The Bears won a state playoff game over the weekend – with Turner’s son, Bailey, remaining in his coaching duties.
An emotional Bailey kept mostly to himself and fought back tears as the team maintained their composure to beat Ridgeview High School.
Bailey, a former Bears quarterback who graduated from the school in 2019, told Daily Mail that the win was ‘bittersweet’ for him and the family ‘appreciated the support’ they had been getting, but declined to comment further on his father’s disappearance.
Union is now set to face Glenvar in a Class 2 state semifinal Saturday, December 6. The state championship game is set for Saturday, December 13.
