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

[Pseudonymph]

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islandfreepress.org

This feels like an accident in the water to me...

100%, and aside from the dog being involved it’s not even that unusual in terms of the ways people disappear in or near bodies of water.

 

[shetalksinstereo]

wouldn't most truck thieves take his gun (unless they were fugitives switching vehicles a lot to flee and avoid detection...even then, I would think a gun would be something they would take. IMO

Our family car was stolen out of our driveway in 1978. My dad had come home from trap shooting and left his trap gun in the car. He also had golf clubs in the back. The car was brand new and had less than a few hundred miles on it. He also left the keys in the car. We lived in a small town on a dead end street. Woke up, car gone. Thought it was the neighbor's playing a practical joke as they all did that. Took newspapers, swapped Christmas decorations, etc. All in good fun. Car was found abandoned a few days later with 500-ish miles on it, no gun. Gun was never recovered. I think my parents still get a letter from the police department annually about it. That seems a little excessive, lol. My dad wondered why they didn't take the golf clubs too? Uhhh... criminals?

 

[SerialGal]

I saw a headline on social media that flew by so quickly I wasn’t able to stop on it and the screen refreshed —- anyway, it said that Zoey was found. I have found nothing official to confirm or deny that detail - has anyone seen anything like that? Very worried for them with the weather situation, and particularly Zoey.

 

[swanniee11]

I saw it as well, appears to be junk news, The title of the blog/station isn't even in English. I saw another one that all of the sudden they found a small tent. I'm calling all of this junk until we can get verifed MSM.

 

[shetalksinstereo]

Local Search

This link is from an Outer Banks independent newspaper.

 

[Pursula]

I saw a headline on social media that flew by so quickly I wasn’t able to stop on it and the screen refreshed —- anyway, it said that Zoey was found. I have found nothing official to confirm or deny that detail - has anyone seen anything like that? Very worried for them with the weather situation, and particularly Zoey.

I've seen so many fake stories about this case on facebook, it's unreal. Some with their own fake AI images included, others with pictures of other random dogs saying it's Zoey.

 

[OldCop]

I wish we had the time of the text on the 9th in which he said he was heading to Monongahela NF and the time the truck was seen entering the OBX, also on the 9th.

I have posted 3 maps, one which shows the general route from GWNF to MNF and the second which shows the route from GWF to the toll booth where his truck was caught on camera. We don’t know exactly where he was in GWF, but the time between there and Monongahela is around 2 hours. The distance to the toll booth on the Chesapeake Expressway going to the Outer Banks from GWNF is about 4 1/2 hours.

If you are headed south, when you reach the Chesapeake Expressway’s Toll Plaza, you will be approximately 60 miles from the Outer Banks. Depending on traffic, you may expect to reach the Outer Banks in about an hour.

Chesapeake Expressway FAQs | Chesapeake, VA

Chesapeake Expressway frequently asked questions - background, toll, payment, and more.

www.cityofchesapeake.net

It is about 2 1/2 hours to the Buxton area from the toll booth.

Question: If he went through the tolls on 1/9 and his phone pinged in Avon on the 10th, where did he stay on the night of the 9th?

 

[RedHaus]

Local Search

This link is from an Outer Banks independent newspaper.

Thank you for this article.

I found these nuggets particularly interesting:

1. "Albaugh* said he has been in contact with Palmer’s family, who confirmed that this was Palmer’s first time visiting the Outer Banks."

So what on earth brought CP to Buxton? Just curiosity? But why tell your family one thing but then do another? I still wonder about a mental health crisis.

And then, once at the beach, where did he go with Zoey? We don't know for sure if CP still had his kayak when he 'landed' at the beach, do we? Did that eye-witness in Buxton see the kayak?

2. "“He was known to have his dog off leash all the time,” Albaugh* said. “So, we may find signs of a dog without signs of a human, and that’s just as valuable.”"

Poor Zoey. Could she have run off if CP entered the water on the kayak (if it was still in the bed of his truck when he got stuck) or on his own for a swim or to end his life? Is LE checking animal shelters in the area and along his route there?

The only confirmation Zoey was with CP in Buxton is that one eye-witness, right? But what if that person just saw a similar looking man and dog checking out the truck? Zoey is an older dog from this pic, so I don't think she'd go very far without CP (or his truck). And she may be the key - find Zoey and that may lead to CP...

IMO.

* "The volunteer effort was spearheaded by Hatteras Island resident Ryan Albaugh, who said he was asked by the United Cajun Navy to coordinate the ground search."

 

[Serononin]

Thank you for this article.

I found these nuggets particularly interesting:

1. "Albaugh* said he has been in contact with Palmer’s family, who confirmed that this was Palmer’s first time visiting the Outer Banks."

So what on earth brought CP to Buxton? Just curiosity? But why tell your family one thing but then do another? I still wonder about a mental health crisis.

And then, once at the beach, where did he go with Zoey? We don't know for sure if CP still had his kayak when he 'landed' at the beach, do we? Did that eye-witness in Buxton see the kayak?

2. "“He was known to have his dog off leash all the time,” Albaugh* said. “So, we may find signs of a dog without signs of a human, and that’s just as valuable.”"

Poor Zoey. Could she have run off if CP entered the water on the kayak (if it was still in the bed of his truck when he got stuck) or on his own for a swim or to end his life? Is LE checking animal shelters in the area and along his route there?

The only confirmation Zoey was with CP in Buxton is that one eye-witness, right? But what if that person just saw a similar looking man and dog checking out the truck? Zoey is an older dog from this pic, so I don't think she'd go very far without CP (or his truck). And she may be the key - find Zoey and that may lead to CP...

View attachment 639296
IMO.

* "The volunteer effort was spearheaded by Hatteras Island resident Ryan Albaugh, who said he was asked by the United Cajun Navy to coordinate the ground search."

I wonder if Zoey is microchipped? Hopefully if anyone finds her, they'll take her to a shelter or vet to be scanned for a chip

 

[Htowntwinmom]

I have been thinking about the coach who is wanted for child porn who is on the run in NC. Could Chris have come upon him?

 

[CoralReefy]

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

It has been unseasonably warm on the NC coast this year; with some days being close to 70 and sunny with others being cold and windy. I live on the NC coast, just north of Wilmington. Was he chasing the beautiful weather this time of year?
In response to the job question, I wonder about that as well.

 

[Lebowski]

I have been thinking about the coach who is wanted for child porn who is on the run in NC. Could Chris have come upon him?

it's a big state. is that guy thought to be anywhere near cape hatteras?

 

[Jessicaleanne1992]

I think (hope) police have more information than they are letting on.

From all I’ve read, the last time he actually spoke to anyone was December 25th. He called his parents on that day and let them know he was heading to George Washington National Forest. From then on all contact was made via text. He made no mention of going to obx, unless he tried to send something and it don’t go through. But I doubt this. For him to not let his parents is alarming because from what we know he kept them informed of where he was and where he was going.

On January 9th his parents asked for a video of the terrain and he sent one but said service was too spotty to talk. I think we all know this is odd. I wonder what the metadata on that video is. What date was it? There’s no way it was taken right then because his truck was found in the obx the next day.

On fb his mom states that the NPS saw his truck pull onto the beach with the kayak on the back. She says they saw the person in the vehicle and believe it to be Chris. I guess they were able to make him out?

Did he have a wet suit? Would he go into the water while it’s this cold? And why would he take his dog in the water during the cold weather.

From this info it sounds like it is him who traveled there. It is him that people saw. And that he took his kayak into the water, most likely with his dog. I just don’t know why.

I lean towards some kind of mental break because his actions just don’t make sense.

 

[Jessicaleanne1992]

His dad just posted on fb that they found a journal of Chris’s and they hope it will give them insight into his mindset. The search will be suspended soon unless solid information turns up to lead them to search further.

This is heartbreaking. It would seem he just kayaked into the sea to end things. His poor family. I can’t imagine.

He ended his post with

“ Thank you again from me and my entire family for all the time and effort, thoughts and prayers and positive energy that was put into this occurrence. Hug your kids extra tight tonight for Chris!

We do ask for some personal time for the family to gather our thoughts and mourn the loss of our beloved Christopher.”

 

[SerialGal]

His dad just posted on fb that they found a journal of Chris’s and they hope it will give them insight into his mindset. The search will be suspended soon unless solid information turns up to lead them to search further.

This is heartbreaking. It would seem he just kayaked into the sea to end things. His poor family. I can’t imagine.

He ended his post with

“ Thank you again from me and my entire family for all the time and effort, thoughts and prayers and positive energy that was put into this occurrence. Hug your kids extra tight tonight for Chris!

We do ask for some personal time for the family to gather our thoughts and mourn the loss of our beloved Christopher.”

Oh dear that is terrible. Any word on Zoey? Thank you for posting an update.

 

[Htowntwinmom]

it's a big state. is that guy thought to be anywhere near cape hatteras?

it's a big state. is that guy thought to be anywhere near cape hatteras?

Actually I saw that coach was in VA. Hatteras is in northern NC.

 

[acutename]

Oh dear that is terrible. Any word on Zoey? Thank you for posting an update.

any chance Zoey was sick/dying and he could not handle that? people get over pet illness/death but this guy seems like such a loner....

 

[investigatefred]

His father posted within the last hour publicly, which was shared by the Cajun Navy on FB that they recently learned Chris was facing a terminal illness, they found some of his belongings along the coastline, and are calling off any further searching- taking time to accept and mourn their son's choice and (loss).

 

[wvredhead]

No words. Just a tremendously sad outcome.

 

[bdawk20]

Statement from his father