Matthew Knapp from Bigfoot Outlaw Radio writes: “In an update the reporter said something interesting. They have professional trackers and tracking dogs out there, the guy was barefoot, and they found his tracks. But then they said that the tracks “disappeared” and that they couldn’t follow his trail anymore. If he left barefoot tracks, those dogs should be able to follow. In a heavily wooded area, trackers should still be able to follow someone tearing through the brush, and what do they mean by the tracks “disappeared”? Something pick him up and carry him off?”
CREEK COUNTY, Oklahoma – More than 40 people are searching for a Creek County man who hasn’t been seen since Sunday. He disappeared along Buckeye Creek near Silver City, which is west of Mannford.
Trackers searched more than a square mile Tuesday, all on foot, in the heat and through heavy brush for 20-year-old David Lane Howard.
The view from Osage SkyNews 6 HD shows the harsh conditions down below – thick with brush and the long, winding Buckeye Creek.
Creek County sergeant, Les Vaughn said, “We’ve got the trained trackers in the field, they’re having a hard go of it because of the terrain.”
He said Howard and two other men went to the creek Sunday morning to swim. The men told investigators they became separated from their friend sometime between 10:30 a.m. and noon Sunday morning.
Vaughn said no one reported Howard missing until after dark Sunday night.
“It’s impossible to track in the dark in there,” the sergeant said.
The search started Monday morning with one lead, some tracks; but, eventually, the tracks stopped, leaving investigators with little to go on.
Trackers went out first thing Tuesday morning with help from members of the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Department and a K9 search team.
They trekked miles through the creek bed and searched the heavily wooded areas on foot.
The sheriff said they found clothes but said they belonged to the men Howard was with. He also said Howard was barefoot.
To help with the search, the county used drones, and even Osage SkyNews 6 HD, to try spot the missing man – all with no luck.
Vaughn said, “The brush is so thick it’s just impossible to see.”
The sheriff said until they find Howard they can’t call his disappearance suspicious. They just hope when he is found, he’s alive.
“We’re under the hopes that maybe he walked out, somebody picked him up,” said Vaughn.
The sheriff said there have been a lot of different stories about what happened Sunday. He said there’s just too much they don’t know about what went on to suspect any kind of foul play at this point.
He’s also not calling it a recovery mission just yet.
The sheriff’s office describes Howard as 5’8″ inches tall with brown hair and a skull tattoo on his leg.
Investigators said if Howard is out there, they hope he’ll contact the sheriff’s office or family. They also ask anyone with any information to call the Creek County Sheriff’s Office at 918-224-4964.
Karen C
Not enough Info. on how they got separated from each other? Sounds to strange that he would walk into that mess of bushes. I’ll send good thoughts his way, for his return to his family…
Kenneth M
Just like that football player that disappeared in Michigan, he will be found weeks later, under a pile of brush or rubble, beaten and contused and they will say likely drowned or died of “exposure”
Jan W
The football player was found only a couple of days later, with his wader straps twisted around his back, as though he had been lifted off the ground and placed face down. They are still unsure of the real cause of death and he was found not too far from the boat launch from where he went missing. At least two people from the area called the authorities to suggest he had spooked a Bigfoot.
I sure hope they find this young man soon.
Michael L
If they find him he will most likely be dead. Most know what kills people by the isolated rivers. Yes, I believe his fate is just like that of the Football player…
Michael1lion
Teresa V
It doesn’t sound good. I live in this part of the state and all week we’ve had temps around 100 with heat indexes around 108. If something or someone lose didn’t kill him, the heat will. To me it doesn’t sound good since his “friends” didn’t immediately report him missing.
Janetta V
Yes I agree with you Teresa V. It sounds terrible. I live in Moore, just south of OKC, and the heat is horrible. If someone is out there in the wilderness and they don’t have water, they won’t last long. Also the mosquitios will eat you up, ticks you name it, it’s a bad deal. Sure hope he is found alive. j.v.
pam
There is a 21 yr old man missing here in Or since last Wed. up on or in Mt.Jefferson wilderness.
Hoping both families find hope and get their sons back.
Bal G
Poor kid. Hope his friends didn’t have something to do with this. Very possibly could be foul play. Hope the local cops are very thorough with his pair of buddies. Make sure their stories are identical, and there wasn’t any bad blood between the three.
Colleen C
I just read an update to the story; Unfortunately the young man was found, deceased.
http://www.fox23.com/web/koki/news/creek-county-teen-missing-after-hiking-with-friends/415274976
Daniel S
seen update thou, thankyou would be inappropriate given
Robin B
Colleen C, thanks for the update. THAT is a weird situation. ‘Came out of the brush with just their underwear on and remember nothing’???? Wow
Daniel S
this has nothing to do bf, …but I’ve have seen the stronger ape….. today I’m 38 year’s old seen some crap…………. more than some…… I would say……… less..than others…..I would promise..but I will say this,.. in my country if you get close……. back to island prison…….if you lived here before this prison became a nation………..good…chance…… go to prison….very sad……and I say this cos I know first hand .. the people who lived here first get nothing…I try to see good in people and the people on the street are good, the ugly ones well they won’t set things straight…….cos just like cast in india…….I was born the weaker ape……
P34c3…
Daniel S
what I typed was before I read the post, Howard, hope you are safe
Bryan G
I’ve been following this story since it first aired, and this little paragraph is what caught my attention.
“Fire officials said the two witnesses’ stories are not adding up. The two reportedly told officials they came out of the woods in their underwear with no recollection of where their clothes may be.”
I believe there was a SC episode where a trail biker kind of woke up and realized he had stripped down to his underwear without realizing it.
According to another story his body was found near a power easement. No foul play is expected, but the OSBI is investigating it as a homicide, and like Matthew Knapp said, the three tracker dogs should have picked up on the scent through the woods fairly easily. It has been very hot around here, with 108 heat indexes, so if he died of natural causes, self inflicted, or heat exhaustion, why are investigators so quick to jump on homicide?
There are documented sighting reports within miles of this area, and I personally talked to a guy who saw two BF eating shellfish in a creek 10-15 miles NE of this location back in the mid 90’s.
http://kfor.com/2016/08/03/osbi-agents-searching-for-missing-19-year-old-creek-county-man/
Here is the approximate location of where he was found and if you follow Buckeye creek north to 51st street that is where he went missing:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/S+481st+St+W+Ave,+Drumright,+OK+74030/@36.091396,-96.5180404,16.5z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x87b149d67f68b2f3:0x54ba5f48ebce636d!8m2!3d36.076877!4d-96.530415
Julie D
Appreciate the map. Thanks for the interesting reply!
Paul M
Soon it will be a 411. or bear atk. Or we just don’t know. Or we can’t say it’s a OPEN INVESTIGATION. We have persons of interest . Pray things go better for the other missing person.
Bryan G
I heard an interview with the Sheriff yesterday and he stated that there is no foul play expected and that it was a tragic accident. Yet the OSBI is investigating it as a homicide. I’m curious as to what the medical examiner’s report will say, which will be months down the road.
Anyway here is an article from the Tulsa World newspaper check it out.
http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/state/body-of-missing-hiker-found-in-creek-county-authorities-investigating/article_9ca98f9b-6543-568e-ab7d-c37fceda18c3.html
michael n
Wouldn’t this sound so much better coming from a s herriff at a news conference: we suspect it to be bigfoot. This area seems to be a hotspot for them and we have warned folks to stay away from that area. Please check with our office before going camping fishing or swimming in an area you’re not familiar with. If you see bf in or around your area please report it. Thank you and god bless this family.
End of my comment