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

[doodles1211]

The Amherst County Sheriff's Office has joined the search for a missing Buena Vista man.

Police say they are trying to locate 30-year-old Chad Hunter Austinwho was last seen on May 27.

The Amherst County Sheriff's Office said the Virginia Department of Emergency Management and SARs has called off the search in Amherst County in the area of Panther Falls Road for Chad Austin.

They said they have exhausted all of their resources they have in searching for him.

If any leads come, they said officers will continue to help the Buena Vista Police Department with their investigation.

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

They key to the vehicle was not located.

If anyone has any information as to where he is, call the police department or 911.

.............................................................

An abandoned vehicle was found on Panther Falls Road on May 28 at 12:38 with a dog inside, the sheriff's office said.

Animal Control and deputies responded and were able to get the dog out.

Austin's family was contacted at the time and they decided not to pursue a missing person report, but the Buena Vista Police Department entered the report on May 29.

The Buena Vista Police Department, Rockbridge County Sheriff's Office, and Amherst County Sheriff's Office searched for him Wednesday night.

Then, Virginia State Police Virginia Department of Emergency Services, SAR , Amherst Public Safety, Virginia Conservation Police, Buena Vista Police and US Park Police joined the search on Thursday.



Austin is described as 6-feet-tall, 150-170 pounds, with brown eyes and brown hair.

He was last seen wearing a gray tank top with long shorts below the knees and possibly beige in color.

Anyone with information is asked to call 911.

Search called off for missing man near Amherst County area
Buena Vista Police Department

 

[MimosaMornings]

What? His family declined not to file a missing person’s report?

 

[StarEyes]

What? His family declined not to file a missing person’s report?

Yeah, I found that odd, too. I feel like we’re missing some possibly important info. I hope he’s found soon.

 

[dspdenver]

Family organizes search party for missing Buena Vista man
Posted: Sun 6:31 PM, Jun 02, 2019

[Police brought along bloodhounds and searched the area with no luck, so family decided to take matters into their own hands. They organized a search party....

"I don't know how this is all going to play out, but I know there are far more questions than answers and the family deserves to have some answers and figure out what's going on and hopefully have some success with this," Pastor LePere added....

Austin's mother said to the group, "We pray that he's found soon and no matter what the circumstances, we just want him found."]

 

[mistivon]

Pd post. You can kinda follow the trail and see the family is actively searching. They released a statement today with a timeline and more info but I don't think I can post it here. Its easily found tho

Amherst County Sheriff's Office

 

[2Hope4]

Chad Austin

The lyrics to that last song he posted...not good, IMO.

 

[Podengo]

His Facebook shows that he is a huge animal lover. I can’t imagine he would leave his dog in the car if he was looking to self harm. And I’d think if he was going for a walk the dog would come. I’m not sure how hot it was there, but I can’t see this guy putting his dog at risk.

 

[rob68]

His Facebook shows that he is a huge animal lover. I can’t imagine he would leave his dog in the car if he was looking to self harm. And I’d think if he was going for a walk the dog would come. I’m not sure how hot it was there, but I can’t see this guy putting his dog at risk.

73 was the high temp in Buena Vista VA on May 27th and 78 was the high on May 28th.

 

[GraceG]

Chad Austin

The lyrics to that last song he posted...not good, IMO.

If you go to the FB page of the woman who posted a comment in the song post she has a picture of him taken in the car with his dog the day he went missing. He doesn't look upset or anything, just a young man out for a drive it appeared.

 

[Darling136]

Latest PD post, search called off
Amherst County Sheriff's Office

 

[Gardener1850]

Expect large public safety presence along Amherst/Rockbridge county line Saturday in search of missing Buena Vista man

(WDBJ7)-- According to Buena Vista Police, on Saturday, June 15th, in order to actively pursue strong efforts in locating Chad H. Austin (30, of Buena Vista) there will be a large and visible presence of public safety vehicles along the county line of Amherst and Rockbridge in the areas of the Blue Ridge Parkway and Route 60.

During these search efforts, police are asking motorists to pass by cautiously because of the presence of rescue teams and slow-moving vehicles.

Expect large public safety presence along Amherst/Rockbridge county line Saturday in search of missing Buena Vista man

 

[GraceG]

Bumping for Chad.

 

[Simply Southern]

Search efforts to continue for missing Buena Vista man

Authorities say due to the difficult, and in many places dangerous, terrain of the concentrated search area, only law enforcement and specially-trained search and rescue teams are involved in Saturday's search efforts.

Austin was last seen by campers in the Panther Falls area, east of the Blue Ridge Parkway. He was last seen wearing a gray tank top with long shorts, possible beige in color.

 

[doodles1211]

Google Maps

I pinned Panther Falls Rd. The terrain they are searching must seem like a needle in 10 thousand haystacks. The find page says that there is nothing to update.

Bring Chad Austin Home

Virginia State Police

 

[StarEyes]

Could he have stepped out of the vehicle to relieve himself in the woods? Just something I thought of. I don’t know why he wouldn’t have taken his dog with him, though. If he just wanted to stop really quickly and get back to driving, that could be why he’d not take the dog. Yet, iirc, they found his keys (missing the vehicle key). Does anyone know if the car windows were cracked? If he’d just gone to pee quickly, he’d have left the windows at least cracked for the dog, if not partially down. Or left the vehicle running for the AC for the dog.

Could he have seen something maybe odd or unusual and pulled over to investigate? Idk what it could have been. Perhaps, he saw or met someone he knew and got out of the truck and that person disappeared him. Besides his keys being found, nothing else has been, right? That person may have driven back & tossed them out the window. I have no idea what happened, just trying to think in print. All jmo.

 

[StarEyes]

I used to live close to The Greenbrier Hotel in WV. I’d take I-64 to Lexington,VA and get on I-81 there, when I travelled. I got to thinking: Buena Vista,VA is close to a major interstate: Interstate 81. It’s a very heavily travelled interstate. Google puts it within a 10 minute drive from Buena Vista proper. You can make it faster. If someone did something nefarious with Chad, they could be out of there in minutes, into a major interstate and anywhere by now. I don’t know what happened to him. I’m just racking my brain trying to come up with any slight ideas.

 

[PommyMommy]

JUN 15, 2019
Search continues for missing Buena Vista man
[...]

"This is still a search mission we fully expect to find him alive," says Buena Vista Police Chief Keith Hartman.

The Virginia State Police, Virginia Department of Emergency Management, and Amherst County Sheriff's Office were all called in to help with the investigation. K-9 units were dispatched and local authorities are hoping the joint effort gives them the answers they're looking for.

"I don't think our motivation has dropped since the first day when we found out he was missing. It was just important that we needed the time to pool our resources and do it correctly," explains Hartman.

State troopers and search and rescue workers continue to look for the 30-year-old. Austin's mother continues to put her faith in a higher power.

"Chad grew up in the church and I believe god's protection is over him right now and I had this song that kept coming back to me that god will make a way...god will make a way when there's no other way."

[...]

 

[StarEyes]

dbm

 

[StarEyes]

Search halted, investigation remains ongoing for missing Buena Vista man
6/17/19

“Search halted, investigation remains ongoing for missing Buena Vista man”

“During the course of the investigation, police have received about 20 leads and are still encouraging the public to contact them with any information about Austin, who is well-known among the hiking and Appalachian Trail community.

"This is, and will remain, an active investigation until we can bring Chad home to his family. We are still urging anyone who may recall seeing Chad, his car or even his dog, Gunner, at any time over the Memorial Day weekend to please contact us. No detail is too minor as it may be the very information we need to find him," said Hartman.”

Man, I wish they’d find him. What could have happened? The above news article contains all the agencies involved in the investigation/search. It’s pretty impressive.

Chad, where could you be?

 

[Davia18]

I hope this is not one of the cases that never get answers.
Prayers to Chad and his family and friends.