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Virginia Coach Missing Amid Child Porn Warrants as Team Wins

Published 4 December 2025

Travis Turner, the 46-year-old head football coach and physical education teacher at Union High School in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, has been missing since November 20, when he left his Appalachia home and entered a nearby wooded, mountainous area armed with a firearm. Authorities later issued 10 arrest warrants against him for five counts of possessing illegal child imagery and five counts of using a computer to solicit a minor, stemming from an ongoing investigation that prompted police to visit his residence that day.

Turner, who had led the Union High Bears to an undefeated season, vanished just before the team was set to continue its playoff run. His wife, Leslie Turner, also 46, reported him missing the following day after local law enforcement initially advised waiting 24 hours. The Virginia State Police classified him as an endangered missing person on November 22 and have focused searches on the area around his home, deploying K-9 units, drones, and search and rescue teams. Harsh weather has complicated efforts, which family and friends have supported while deferring to official operations. As of late last week, no trace of Turner has been found, and the investigation...

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