Found Deceased VA - Chad Austin, 30, Buena Vista, Amhurst County, 27 May 2019

[GraceG]

Forgive me for going off-topic but in many of these cases people talk about "hiding in plain sight". Years ago I lived on a small houseboat. It was a small marina and miles from the city (I had about an hour and a half commute to the airport I flew out of as an airline pilot). One day this beautiful sailboat came in and took up residence. It was the biggest boat in the place. Huge, not yacht huge, but bigger than all the local boats. A very handsome 40ish man owned it and he was in a relationship with a local lady. I ate out on their deck with them a couple of times. Nice people - he said he made his money in the stock market. One day, I got home and the FBI was all OVER the place. Apparently my neighbor stole the boat, after being indicted on multiple white-collar crimes (he'd embezzled a ton of money). He was on the most wanted list in Canada. He faked the boat sinking and headed down the US coast. He met this lady, fell head over heels and just decided to stay. He was there a little less than a year. Had he continued on down to Mexico he probably never would have been caught.

 

[Simply Southern]

Police still seeking clues to find missing Buena Vista man

A $1,000 reward is being offered for information that will lead police to the whereabouts of a Buena Vista man. Thirty-year-old Chad Austin was last seen around the Panther Falls area of Amherst County on Memorial Day.

 

[mlhenn]

Missing Persons Cases Network

Lt. JW Miller is leading investigation and provided a thorough update on missing Chad Austin’s case.
-$1000 reward for info
-They have interviewed and keep in contact with the people who found his vehicle. They were hikers and it states also the last two to see Chad alive.
-They are focusing on Chad’s dog (trying to figure out what caused the dog to be left behind in the truck) in hopes it leads to more answers.
-Lt. Miller doesn’t believe Chad just walked away. He stated he is aware & looked into some past criminal charges however learned negotiations were made to resolve those issues.
-Asking that ANYBODY who was in the area his truck was found/where he was hiking on the weekend of Memorial Day to please contact LE
-Asking for any photos that may have been taken that weekend so they can look at individuals & backgrounds in them.

 

[BlueRidgeCat]

Missing Persons Cases Network

Lt. JW Miller is leading investigation and provided a thorough update on missing Chad Austin’s case.
-$1000 reward for info
-They have interviewed and keep in contact with the people who found his vehicle. They were hikers and it states also the last two to see Chad alive.
-They are focusing on Chad’s dog (trying to figure out what caused the dog to be left behind in the truck) in hopes it leads to more answers.
-Lt. Miller doesn’t believe Chad just walked away. He stated he is aware & looked into some past criminal charges however learned negotiations were made to resolve those issues.
-Asking that ANYBODY who was in the area his truck was found/where he was hiking on the weekend of Memorial Day to please contact LE
-Asking for any photos that may have been taken that weekend so they can look at individuals & backgrounds in them.

 

[BlueRidgeCat]

They also said when he was last seen by the two hikers that he was "impaired". I wish there was further elaboration on this.

 

[hey-Debbie]

Just checking in on the forum to see if there's anything new here.

 

[mlhenn]

Bring Chad Austin Home

There was a post on the Bring Chad Austin Home Facebook page a few hours ago. It stated that they wanted people to know they are aware of the young man CHASE Austin from VA that was shot and that this is NOT CHAD. Also that they’ve received numerous calls etc about it and although the support is appreciated, they request that those calls stop. It’s too difficult for the family.

 

[Gardener1850]

Bring Chad Austin Home

There was a post on the Bring Chad Austin Home Facebook page a few hours ago. It stated that they wanted people to know they are aware of the young man CHASE Austin from VA that was shot and that this is NOT CHAD. Also that they’ve received numerous calls etc about it and although the support is appreciated, they request that those calls stop. It’s too difficult for the family.

That is so sad that they had to issue a statement about that and ask people to stop contacting them about it. However, I get why some people may be confused and thought it could be Chad. They have a close first name (Chad could be a nickname for Chase), the same last name and the man who was shot has a similar look and is close in age. Here is an article about the man who was shot: Man shot by police dies; police say he pointed gun at officer

MOO.

 

[GuyfromCanada]

BUENA VISTA, Va. (WDBJ) - In Buena Vista, a family hasn't given up searching for their loved one. Chad Hunter Austin has been missing for months, and Tuesday is his birthday.

More at Family continues to search for missing Buena Vista man

 

[mlhenn]

Bring Chad Austin Home

**Checked Bring Chad Austin Home fb page, however there hasn’t been too much activity on it since his birthday (Oct 21).

There was a post stating it was his birthday & the family requested people to show support & love by “leaving a light on” for Chad. (Which I find sweet but sad at the same time.)
There was also a post thanking everyone for their support, thoughts, & love AND the family would continue searching for Chad.

I hope there are answers soon.

 

[PommyMommy]

DEC 13, 2019
'It's not gonna be Christmas without him'; Family hoping to find son missing for 200 days
[...]

Police said 31-year-old Chad Hunter Austin was last seen on May 27, Memorial Day, by campers in the Panther Falls area, east of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

An abandoned vehicle was found on Panther Falls Road on May 28 at 12:38 p.m. with a dog inside, the Amherst County Sheriff's Office said.

During a search that week, the sheriff's office said they found a set of Austin's keys on the road not far from the vehicle he was driving.

Austin's parents, David and Ellen Austin, said they are hoping for a Christmas miracle.

[...]

 

[JerseyGirl]

The wallet of a missing Buena Vista man has been found on a trail by a father and daughter in the Panther Falls area.

Authorities believe the wallet belongs to Chad Austin due to several items inside. Austin went missing in the area around Memorial Day.

The trail where the wallet was found has been searched several times since Austin’s appearance. That is why authorities believe it was left there recently. The wallet was also reportedly not weathered, damaged or destroyed in any way when it was found.

Wallet of missing Buena Vista man found unweathered on trail

 

[Rosiebones]

I wonder if there were any items in the wallet with a date subsequent to his missing, like a receipt. I also wonder if LE will have it analyzed for DNA. Also wonder if there was any money in it since he had put his last money into gasoline.

 

[BlueRidgeCat]

Wondering about fingerprints on the wallet & on items in the wallet. Another article: Wallet of missing Buena Vista man found

 

[PommyMommy]

Wondering about fingerprints on the wallet & on items in the wallet. Another article: Wallet of missing Buena Vista man found

Noting:

• Buena Vista police say the wallet was found Sunday at the Panther Falls Trailhead, near a missing person poster for Chad.
• A father and daughter who were visiting the area found the wallet.
• “So when they opened the wallet, they found identifying information in there that matched the missing person flyer, which prompted them to come make contact with us,” says Lt. Miller, Buena Vista PD.
• Lt. Miller believes someone may have placed the wallet there because of the condition in which it was found - it was not weathered and did not appear as if it had been left outside in the elements for months.
• “If it had been placed there, we would like to know who maybe originally located the wallet, where it was found, any information how that individual may have come into contact with the wallet if someone did, in fact, place it there,” says Lt. Miller.
  
• Chad’s family is offering a $4,000 reward for information leading to his whereabouts. In the past week there was a $2,000 contribution which doubled the reward amount.
• “Currently, we have very little information to go on and that’s why we continue to ask for the public’s assistance,” says Lt. Miller.
• You may contribute to the reward through Carter Bank & Trust in Lexington. You can specify the donation is for the Chad Austin reward account.

 

[mlhenn]

Wallet of missing Buena Vista man found along trail in Panther Falls area

This is what caught my attention...
According to authorities, the wallet was near one of the posters with his face on it.

 

[Rosiebones]

So, was it left to give hope or was it left to dash hope? Was left by him or by someone who knows what happened to him?

 

[Rosiebones]

They should let his dog sniff the wallet and watch the dog's reaction, it may indicate if the wallet was in CH's recent possession or if his scent is long gone.

 

[mlhenn]

They should let his dog sniff the wallet and watch the dog's reaction, it may indicate if the wallet was in CH's recent possession or if his scent is long gone.

That’s a good idea!!

 

[hey-Debbie]

Why risk leaving the wallet now? I mean whoever had it had plenty of time to get rid of it by now. Paranoia of getting caught with it setting in? Guilt? That's a huge risk to actually go and add evidence Unless someone knows something but are too terrified to go to the police.