Update: Active Search and Rescue Operations Suspended
Washington Co. Sheriff's Office - 12/28/19 7:23 PM
After five days of searching for Ms. Allyson Watterson, the search and rescue operations have been suspended. Allyson has not been located at this time. The decision to suspend that phase of the investigation was made after the search and rescue teams spent thousands of search hours covering an area of about 1,600 acres.
Detectives continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding Allyson’s disappearance. If new information comes to light or new areas to search are identified, the search and rescue teams may be recalled to continue their efforts.
The public is reminded that the entire search area is private property, meaning members of the general public would be trespassing if they attempted to search on their own unless they had specific permission from each property owner.
The Sheriff’s Office wishes to thank the many people and organizations who helped with this search, including the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue, Columbia County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue, Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue, Mountain Wave Search and Rescue, North Oregon Regional Search and Rescue, Pacific Northwest Search and Rescue, volunteer searchers, Army National Guard, City of North Plains, Hillsboro School District, North Plains Elementary School, Home Depot, Subway, Krispy Kreme, and members of the community for donations of food, supplies, and time.
Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the Sheriff’s Office at 503-846-2700.
The previous media release is below.
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Update on Search for Missing Person Allyson Watterson
December 27, 2019
The Sheriff’s Office is providing the following update to the on-going search for 20-year-old Allyson Watterson who has been missing since Sunday, December 22.
On that day, a homeowner who lives north of North Plains saw Ms. Watterson just before noon with 21-year-old Benjamin Garland. That remains the last confirmed time Ms. Watterson was seen. Early on Monday, December 23, a different homeowner in the area found Mr. Garland inside the homeowner’s truck. That evening, Mr. Garland’s father called dispatch around 5:30 p.m. to report Ms. Watterson missing, a gap of about 30 hours since she was last seen.
Deputies immediately responded to the area to begin searching for Ms. Watterson. Deputies found a truck which they soon learned was stolen. A short time later, deputies found Mr. Garland nearby and took him into custody. Mr. Garland was arrested for unrelated theft and fraud charges, unrelated warrants, and charges related to the stolen truck. He remains in custody and has also since been charged with violating his probation for prior convictions.
The initial report was that the pair were hiking in the area when Ms. Watterson went missing but investigators do not believe that to be true. Detectives are continuing to investigate where Ms. Watterson and Mr. Garland may have been from December 21 to December 23.
Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the Sheriff’s Office at 503-846-2700.