Deceased/Not Found WV - Christopher Palmer, 39, missing with dog Zoey, last contact 1/9, headed to Monongahela Forest, truck found abandoned in Buxton NC 1/12 2026

[nao]

Moo...would the shepherd of fitted in his kayak? I know people that do take their dogs out on water with them. But depends on water craft size.....moo

 

[adot0902]

Do we know where in the George Washington National Forest he was? We had a camp in that area in Goshen, it was different. We had some issues over the years with people building grow farms on our land and just in general being odd, we ended up selling our share of the camp last year but it's an interesting place for sure.

 

[borndem]

Welcome to Websleuths,
Southern Mama !!​

​

 

[borndem]

MOO Any possibility he changed his route, decided to go to the beach? Go kayaking to the other islands in the area? Was his phone found? Zoey the dog seems to be his good buddy and as a dog lover I can't believe he left her behind; I also find it hard to believe someone would attack a young, strong and fit-looking guy with a German shepherd. This weekend's storm is making me frightened for his and Zoey's survival. MOO

My bold.
Wondering if he did travel to the North Carolina Outer Banks. If not, never mind... just a thought -- sounds like he did go to or near the NCOB.
If so . . .
This time of year on the NC Outer Banks, many folks are beginning to get ready for OB fishing -- folks come here from other areas of the NC coast, and certainly other folks come from other areas who might not know this particular area of the NC coast. It's beautiful, but can be quite rough as well.
Lots of nice houses, but we have also seen several houses fall to pieces due to the usual changes of the OB waterfront -- and it's not because a house is old or uncared for.
Note: This area is different from other areas of the NC coast.

 

[wvredhead]

Moo...would the shepherd of fitted in his kayak? I know people that do take their dogs out on water with them. But depends on water craft size.....moo

I’d be curious to know the type of kayak. For saltwater, you generally want a sit-on kayak rather than a sit-in - helps to avoid taking on too much water.

 

[OldCop]

This is a breakdown of a post made by Chris’s father

<modsnip: We have removed the link to the father's FB page. Although he says they appreciate our request for permission, they are inundated and have all they can handle. >

According to Bren, this was Chris’ schedule from late December to January 9th. It has left me with a few questions.

-Boone Fork 12/10 - 12/27

-Call to parents on 12/25:

Said he would go to GW national forest on 12/28 and stay until 1/7

-On 1/4 he texted parents and said he was in GWNF, no specific area, and said he would stay another week (1/11?)

-On 1/9 he texted his parents and said he was headed to Monongahala NF in WV. Did he decide to leave GWNF earlier than expected?

-He sent video of terrain after being asked by parents but said he couldn’t call because of spotty cell service?

- 1/10 his truck was found in Buxton, NC, stuck in the stand in an isolated area. Truck contained camping gear, rifle, safe. Missing were clothes, dog bowls.

It appears that the last time that he actually talked to his son was on Christmas Day. The rest of the reported contacts were via text.
Will a video go through if a call won’t? Was there a delay in receiving the video?
If it was Chris who drove to Buxton, why did he not call/text his parents to tell them of his change of plans? He would have had good cell service between WV and Buxton.

 

[bdawk20]

[BBM]
Or take the Ferry to Ocracoke and then ferry on to Swan Quarter?

I meant without encountering anyone. My thinking when I made the post was that someone other than Chris dumped the truck there.

 

[FoxxTraxx]

This is a breakdown of a post made by Chris’s father

<modsnip: We have removed the link to the father's FB page. Although he says they appreciate our request for permission, they are inundated and have all they can handle. >

According to Bren, this was Chris’ schedule from late December to January 9th. It has left me with a few questions.

-Boone Fork 12/10 - 12/27

-Call to parents on 12/25:

Said he would go to GW national forest on 12/28 and stay until 1/7

-On 1/4 he texted parents and said he was in GWNF, no specific area, and said he would stay another week (1/11?)

-On 1/9 he texted his parents and said he was headed to Monongahala NF in WV. Did he decide to leave GWNF earlier than expected?

-He sent video of terrain after being asked by parents but said he couldn’t call because of spotty cell service?

- 1/10 his truck was found in Buxton, NC, stuck in the stand in an isolated area. Truck contained camping gear, rifle, safe. Missing were clothes, dog bowls.

It appears that the last time that he actually talked to his son was on Christmas Day. The rest of the reported contacts were via text.
Will a video go through if a call won’t? Was there a delay in receiving the video?
If it was Chris who drove to Buxton, why did he not call/text his parents to tell them of his change of plans? He would have had good cell service between WV and Buxton.

Based on everything I've read so far I lean towards the suggestion he had a mental break and did something out-of-character. He was spending quite a bit of time alone and only contacting his family intermittently.

His truck was found hundreds of miles away on 1/10/26 - after texting the family on 1/9 about heading to W.V. next.

The truck keys and gun were found in the vehicle. Most (all?) guys are very protective about their trucks and guns. Leaving them at risk of being stolen is (IMO) out of character, unless you don't intend to come back.

 

[OldCop]

Based on everything I've read so far I lean towards the suggestion he had a mental break and did something out-of-character. He was spending quite a bit of time alone and only contacting his family intermittently.

His truck was found hundreds of miles away on 1/10/26 - after texting the family on 1/9 about heading to W.V. next.

The truck keys and gun were found in the vehicle. Most (all?) guys are very protective about their trucks and guns. Leaving them at risk of being stolen is (IMO) out of character, unless you don't intend to come back.

I’m leaning this way also, as it seems to make the most sense. The fact that he was off on his own over the Christmas holidays rather than spend time with his family can also be a red flag. Still, I just hate to dismiss his reliability in keeping his family informed of his plans whenever he goes on a camping trip. He is reportedly a very experienced camper. What changed between January 9th and the 10th? Could something have happened to his dog?
If he did change his mind and decided to head towards NC as opposed to WV, and went out to this isolated beach to go out on a kayak, it wouldn’t be unusual to leave his keys and possibly the gun in his vehicle to prevent accidentally losing them in the water if his kayak tipped. It is very isolated out there this time of year and thefts from vehicles parked on the beach are very uncommon as opposed to parking lots at trailheads.
This whole thing might have been a very unfortunate accident. He and his dog may have taken off in the kayak and ran into trouble.
I hope his family will find answers, one way or the other.

 

[Lebowski]

This is a breakdown of a post made by Chris’s father

<modsnip: We have removed the link to the father's FB page. Although he says they appreciate our request for permission, they are inundated and have all they can handle. >

According to Bren, this was Chris’ schedule from late December to January 9th. It has left me with a few questions.

-Boone Fork 12/10 - 12/27

-Call to parents on 12/25:

Said he would go to GW national forest on 12/28 and stay until 1/7

-On 1/4 he texted parents and said he was in GWNF, no specific area, and said he would stay another week (1/11?)

-On 1/9 he texted his parents and said he was headed to Monongahala NF in WV. Did he decide to leave GWNF earlier than expected?

-He sent video of terrain after being asked by parents but said he couldn’t call because of spotty cell service?

- 1/10 his truck was found in Buxton, NC, stuck in the stand in an isolated area. Truck contained camping gear, rifle, safe. Missing were clothes, dog bowls.

It appears that the last time that he actually talked to his son was on Christmas Day. The rest of the reported contacts were via text.
Will a video go through if a call won’t? Was there a delay in receiving the video?
If it was Chris who drove to Buxton, why did he not call/text his parents to tell them of his change of plans? He would have had good cell service between WV and Buxton.

BBM

videos use a lot more data and need much better connections than calls. the only way it makes sense is if he recorded the video, hit send, and then his phone worked on it bit by bit whenever it got a little reception. i second your question of whether there was a big delay in receiving the video.

...and i wonder if he said anything in the video. because it's also odd that he sent them video of terrain without himself. maybe less odd depending on what they'd said that he was sending the video in response to, but still odd.

plus in that text, he's announcing plans to go to a new place and leave GWNF earlier than he said he would (as you noted). and then his truck turns up the next day, hours away, in a totally different direction.

all things considered, i'm suspicious of that 1/9 text. and my thoughts are going to some unfortunate places. from what i've heard, i'm not sure that was him sending that text and video, and that has its implications. ... i'm just confused on motive though, because it was presumably strangers and they didn't keep the truck.

 

[OldCop]

BBM

videos use a lot more data and need much better connections than calls. the only way it makes sense is if he recorded the video, hit send, and then his phone worked on it bit by bit whenever it got a little reception. i second your question of whether there was a big delay in receiving the video.

...and i wonder if he said anything in the video. because it's also odd that he sent them video of terrain without himself. maybe less odd depending on what they'd said that he was sending the video in response to, but still odd.

plus in that text, he's announcing plans to go to a new place and leave GWNF earlier than he said he would (as you noted). and then his truck turns up the next day, hours away, in a totally different direction.

all things considered, i'm suspicious of that 1/9 text. and my thoughts are going to some unfortunate places. from what i've heard, i'm not sure that was him sending that text and video, and that has its implications. ... i'm just confused on motive though, because it was presumably strangers and they didn't keep the truck.

I am stuck where you are. Several things look suspicious.
However, if they can say the alleged sightings in Buxton were really him and it was just him and his dog, I’m leaning towards accident.

 

[statt#1]

Interesting case for sure. Following

 

[bdawk20]

BBM

videos use a lot more data and need much better connections than calls. the only way it makes sense is if he recorded the video, hit send, and then his phone worked on it bit by bit whenever it got a little reception. i second your question of whether there was a big delay in receiving the video.

...and i wonder if he said anything in the video. because it's also odd that he sent them video of terrain without himself. maybe less odd depending on what they'd said that he was sending the video in response to, but still odd.

plus in that text, he's announcing plans to go to a new place and leave GWNF earlier than he said he would (as you noted). and then his truck turns up the next day, hours away, in a totally different direction.

all things considered, i'm suspicious of that 1/9 text. and my thoughts are going to some unfortunate places. from what i've heard, i'm not sure that was him sending that text and video, and that has its implications. ... i'm just confused on motive though, because it was presumably strangers and they didn't keep the truck.

Information was updated to say his truck was spotted in Buxton as early as the afternoon of 1/9 - that’s the date his family last spoke to him and he said he was headed to monongahela forest. So, he either lied about where he was headed, changed his mind, or he didn’t send that text. I’m stuck right in the middle.

National Park Service provides new details about Arkansas man missing on the Outer Banks​

43 minutes ago
Submitted story

The National Park Service continues to seek information from the public to assist in locating Christopher Lee Palmer, 39, who was officially declared a missing person by Arkansas authorities on Jan. 16.

After a review of Dare County traffic camera footage, investigators have determined that Palmer’s red 2017 Ford F-250 was in Dare County as early as the afternoon of Jan. 9.

A blue and white kayak was observed in the back of the vehicle.

Additionally, pings to Palmer’s mobile phone indicate that the phone was located near Avon on the evening of Jan. 10 and near Cape Point in Buxton on Jan. 11.

On Jan. 12, NPS law enforcement rangers located Palmer’s vehicle, which was stuck on the beach at Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

According to visitor reports, the vehicle was also stuck on the beach on Jan. 11.

The blue and white kayak, which was observed in traffic camera footage, was not in the vehicle and has not yet been found.

Palmer is believed to be traveling with his German shepherd and may still be in the area. Information from the public, including boaters, may help with ongoing investigative efforts.

Anyone with information on Palmer’s whereabouts is encouraged to come forward.

Palmer is described as white, approximately 5 feet 6 inches tall, with blue eyes and strawberry-blond hair.

How to Submit Information

• Call: NPS Tip Line at 888-653-0009
• Online: go.nps.gov/SubmitATip
• Email: [email protected]
• Emergency: Call 9-1-1

 

[FoxxTraxx]

Here is the traffic camera photo of Chris's truck in Dare County NC, 1/9/26.
The kayak looks smaller than I envisioned.
Source: OuterBanksVoiceNewspaper N. Carolina

 

[Lebowski]

now i'm leaning more toward accident. a lot does seem suspicious, but the kayak being missing and the truck being at the beach do point to him going kayaking and not coming back. and if someone had killed him back in the mountains, this is an awful lot of trouble for staging an accident to throw off LE.

i suppose foul play could still work if my assumption that they didn't keep the truck had been wrong. maybe they did keep it, and they had it with them in NC, and had simply stepped away when it was found. then of course they couldn't go back to it with LE all over it.

all speculation though. just thinking through some possibilities.

 

[swanniee11]

I agree the kayak looks small so I went and googled "do kayaks fold" Wouldn't you know they do have Kayaks that fold. ( not a Kayak person but own 2, go figure). I wonder if he owns one. I also saw images of them and one person was in the Kayak with a large dog as well. IMO

 

[Quill]

Here is the traffic camera photo of Chris's truck in Dare County NC, 1/9/26.
The kayak looks smaller than I envisioned.
Source: OuterBanksVoiceNewspaper N. Carolina

That does look small. I'm trying to envision a good sized man and a large dog fitting in that small kayak.

 

[Quill]

now i'm leaning more toward accident. a lot does seem suspicious, but the kayak being missing and the truck being at the beach do point to him going kayaking and not coming back. and if someone had killed him back in the mountains, this is an awful lot of trouble for staging an accident to throw off LE.

i suppose foul play could still work if my assumption that they didn't keep the truck had been wrong. maybe they did keep it, and they had it with them in NC, and had simply stepped away when it was found. then of course they couldn't go back to it with LE all over it.

all speculation though. just thinking through some possibilities.

I'm thinking along the lines of foul play for now. I'm also thinking along the lines of someone being in possession of the truck with it being their means to get as far away from CP and where they encountered him as possible. Once the disappearance starts getting attention they had to ditch the truck. Following this line of thinking: does this person still have the dog? Do we know from the family is CP typically carried a kayak with him? Was his dog trained to kayak?

 

[bdawk20]

Here is the traffic camera photo of Chris's truck in Dare County NC, 1/9/26.
The kayak looks smaller than I envisioned.
Source: OuterBanksVoiceNewspaper N. Carolina

I’ve seen the talk of the kayak all over and the pictures but I’ve yet to see anyone say it’s HIS kayak. It makes a huge difference if he had a kayak or if the kayak in the pictures didn’t belong to him….

 

[StarryStarryNight]

I was just wondering why he was tooling around staying at different campsites for an extended period of time in the middle of winter? Did he have a job?
I realize he was an experienced camper but it seems weird to me.