Michael "Deric" Bennet, 42, was last seen Feb. 27 in Centreville, Va., believed to be hiking the Appalachian Trail.

[BlueRidgeCat]

Missing hiker believed to have been on Appalachian Trail when he disappeared

A search is underway for Michael "Deric" Bennet, 42, who is believed to have been hiking the Appalachian Trail when he disappeared

www.fox5dc.com

 

[Unalienable Rights]

https://www.facebook.com/shenandoahnps/posts/1088480323314011

 

[sunflowermomma]

Hiking the trail for how long, a day hike? If he was backpacking or thru hiking I would assume someone would know for sure, between family and coworkers.

 

[mlhenn]

Seeking information on man who may be hiking Appalachian Trail

The Shenandoah National Park reports 42-year-old Michael “Deric” Bennet is considering a missing person.

www.cbs19news.com

UPDATE April 2: The Shenandoah National Park reports it is suspending its search for a missing person.
According to the park, investigators have found no evidence that Michael "Deric" Bennet is within the park's boundaries.

 

[mlhenn]

Search Intensifies For Centreville Hiker With Dragon Tattoo Missing Over A Month

He vanished without a trace more than a month ago — and now, there’s a renewed push to find him.Michael “Deric” Bennet, 42, was last seen on Thursday, Feb. 27 in Centreville, and hasn’t been heard from since, according to a missing person …

dailyvoice.com

To Note:
His coworkers were the first to raise alarms, saying Bennet had mentioned hiking plans before going missing.

So it’s not known for sure if he even went on this hiking trip…IMO

 

[BlueRidgeCat]

Seeking information on man who may be hiking Appalachian Trail

The Shenandoah National Park reports 42-year-old Michael “Deric” Bennet is considering a missing person.

www.cbs19news.com

UPDATE April 2: The Shenandoah National Park reports it is suspending its search for a missing person.
According to the park, investigators have found no evidence that Michael "Deric" Bennet is within the park's boundaries.

That May be true as for the "Shenandoah National Parks" suspension of this search, but that does not mean the "actual search" for him is suspended as he is thought to be on the Appalachian Trail which goes from Main to Georgia. If you are "through hiking" you can be on the trail for six months or more depending on stops and stays in various towns.

 

[Cedars]

That May be true as for the "Shenandoah National Parks" suspension of this search, but that does not mean the "actual search" for him is suspended as he is thought to be on the Appalachian Trail which goes from Main to Georgia. If you are "through hiking" you can be on the trail for six months or more depending on stops and stays in various towns.

Yes, although it appears to be the part of the trail west and south of his home in Centreville, and it is legendary.

I think, as usual, much isn't being said.

To go very far from his home, eg to Maine or Georgia, he'd need to fly or drive. Flights are easy to rule out.

Possibly his vehicle never left his home. Wouldn't there otherwise be a BOLO for the vehicle or, if found, more certainty about where he'd gone?

The theory from the coworkers might be: maybe he took a taxi to get to the nearest trailhead.

I don't know anything about the trail north of Shenandoah, but perhaps it isn't as hard to search as the park.

JMO

 

[mlhenn]

Park service calls off search for man believed to be hiking Appalachian Trail

Michael "Deric" Bennet was last seen Feb. 27 in Centreville before he was reported missing. He was originally believed to be hiking the Appalachian Trail.

dailyprogress.com

Additional link

The park service, however, does not believe he is inside the park at this time — though the agency did not say where he might be.

“At this time, Shenandoah National Park is suspending its investigation into Mr. Michael Deric Bennet’s whereabouts,” the National Park Service posted to its social media pages Wednesday. “Investigators have found no evidence that Mr. Bennett [sic] is within the park’s boundary.”

 

[BlueRidgeCat]

Yes, although it appears to be the part of the trail west and south of his home in Centreville, and it is legendary.

I think, as usual, much isn't being said.

To go very far from his home, eg to Maine or Georgia, he'd need to fly or drive. Flights are easy to rule out.

Possibly his vehicle never left his home. Wouldn't there otherwise be a BOLO for the vehicle or, if found, more certainty about where he'd gone?

The theory from the coworkers might be: maybe he took a taxi to get to the nearest trailhead.

I don't know anything about the trail north of Shenandoah, but perhaps it isn't as hard to search as the park.

JMO

Yes, not much being said, and nothing about a car. If he "planned" on through hiking the Appalachian Trail, the point is to "hike" the entire route from Maine to GA. Of course stopping in towns along the way for supplies or a hotel sleep and shower. Co-workers stated he said he was "going to hike the Appalachian Trail until he died". Now that could have been taken many ways. Or was it something to throw people off on where he was actually going or doing? I work on the Blue Ridge Parkway which does run along the Appalachian Trail in parts and starts where Skyline Drive ends (or begins depending on how you look at it). We do have through hikers, stories about through hiking, people who hike in pieces and parts. Some people are known to just stay on the trail for long periods of time for whatever reason. To get away from society etc. I don't know much about this person or what his intentions are or were. I generally focus on anyone missing in National Park areas.

 

[TwinkieDefense]

March 31/April 2, 2025 article - indicates possibly hiking the Appalachian Trail in Shenandoah National Park

SNP suspends search for missing man believed to be hiking Appalachian Trail

After alerting the public Monday to a missing man whose coworkers believed he was hiking the Appalachian Trail in Shenandoah National Park, the park is suspending its search.

www.whsv.com

 

[GraceG]

I saw this on the news, the information about him hiking the trail came from coworkers who said he had mentioned hiking - but his car wasn't there, and there was no evidence he was ever within the park system.

 

[Sillybilly]

ADMIN NOTE:

There is no official source to confirm that Michael has been found safe or otherwise.

MPIA is not an official source and is actually not an approved source at Websleuths. That post has been removed, and there is no MSM or LE report of the missing person having been located.

It is not known that Michael was in the park, so for park police to have called off the search of the park does not equate to him having been found safe anywhere. As there is absolutely nothing to substantiate what MPIA reported, this thread is reinstated until such time as an official source confirms he has been found and is safe, or whatever other update those official sources publicize.