THE wife of fugitive football coach Travis Turner has denied helping him escape as more details surrounding his shock disappearance emerge.
Turner, 46, vanished in the middle of his team’s undefeated season on November 20 before being accused of child sex crimes.
Travis Turner (pictured with wife Leslie) remains at large after vanishing on November 20Credit: Facebook
Virginia State Police search for fugitive Turner, who may be armed, according to US MarshalsCredit: WJHL-TV
His last location was Appalachia, Virginia, and he has been a wanted fugitive since November 24.
Adrian Collins, the Turner family lawyer, has since revealed Travis left several personal items behind.
Items included his keys, prescription medication, contact lens supplies and his wallet, as reported by the Daily Mail.
Turner’s drivers license was stored inside his wallet.
And, it was Turner’s worried wife Leslie who reported him missing, according to Collins.
Collins refuted any suggestions that Leslie may have helped Turner escape.
And, he sent a message directly to the fugitive.
“Leslie pleads for you to come home and face the allegations by defending yourself in a court of law,” he said.
“Don’t leave your family to fight this battle without you.”
Turner is wanted on five child pornography charges and accused of using a computer to solicit a minor.
US Marshals have warned he may be armed as they shared a wanted poster and issued a $5,000 reward.
The agency has not issued a statement since Monday’s appeal. .
Leslie, Turner’s wife of 25 years, has been relatively tight-lipped in light of his disappearance.
She has strongly defended Turner, saying the allegations against him are untrue.
Travis Turner timeline
Before November 20:
Travis Turner was placed on paid administrative leave from his position as a high school football coach at Union High School.
Wise County Public Schools admitted he remained on leave until at least November 24.
Thursday, November 20:
Virginia State Police authorities went to Turner’s home in Appalachia, Virginia, to question him as part of an investigation into child sex crime
Turner suddenly vanished from his property.
He was reportedly last seen walking into a wooded, mountainous area, which he is very familiar with.
November 21-24:
Turner was initially declared missing.
An urgent search was launched, deploying search-and-rescue teams, drones, and K9 units in the Appalachian hinterlands.
Tuesday, November 25:
Virginia state troopers announced that they had obtained 10 warrants for Turner, including five counts of possession of child pornography and five counts of using a computer to solicit a minor.
Search continues:
Crews are continually searching for any sign of the coach.
His family is defending his innocence and calling for his safe recovery.
Meanwhile, his undefeated high school football team continues to compete in playoff games without him
Cops became aware Turner had gone missing on November 20 when they were en-route to his home to speak about an investigation.
They stressed that they were not going to his home to arrest him.
Drones and K9s were deployed as search teams combed the Appalachian hinterland.
Turner went into the wilderness armed with a rifle, according to Collins.
And, worried wife Leslie also posted appeals for Turner to return home on Facebook before deleting them.
She has since shut down her Facebook account.
While the search for Turner continues, theories surrounding his disappearance have circulated.
Ken Lang, a retired law enforcement veteran with 25 years of service, speculated if it was possible Turner may have turned to an accomplice.
“So it’s likely that when you’ve not prepared and you’re heading out, that you’ve already made plans to go somewhere, or you have an associate who’s willing to help,” he told the CBS affiliate WJHL-TV.
Turner was the coach of the Union High School Bears football team.
But, his profile from the school’s website has been erased in light of the investigation.
Union High is gearing up to face Glenvar in a semi final on Saturday after defeating Ridgeview to keep the team’s undefeated streak alive.
Turner is a wanted fugitiveCredit: United States Marshals Service
Turner was the coach of the Union High School BearsCredit: Instagram
