November 25, 2025 • 19 mins
A Virginia high school football coach mysteriously vanished 2 days before his team’s huge semi-final game last week and now we know why. 46-year-old Travis Turner is wanted on child porn charges and using his computer to solicit a minor. State police were on their way to talk to Turner when they were alerted he was no longer at home and nowhere to be found. On the same day Turner went missing, the school where he works also announced that a staff member had been placed on administrative leave. His family is asking for prayers and are desperate for his safe return.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Hey folks. It is Tuesday, November the twenty fifth, and
a mysterious man hunt in.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Virginia, Yes, Appalachia, Virginia.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
It's been a mystery all day. Things just became a
little clearer. A football coach has been missing. Man hunt
going on, but they didn't tell us what they were
looking for him for. Well we now know, and it
is a worst case scenario for parents probably, And with that,
welcome to this episode of Amy and TJ. Broad This
was a very bizarre story we started following this morning.
(00:35):
We held off when actually doing an update just to
see how it was going to go. And man, these updates,
some of the mystery makes more sense now.
Speaker 3 (00:44):
Yes, it's all coming together now because it didn't make sense.
This was a Virginia high school coach, forty six year
old Travis Turner of Union High School. He was on
a massive winning streak, his team twelve and zero go
into the finals and he just dissai appeers.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
It was inexplicable.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
Well, now we know he is officially a fugitive because
he is now wanted. Police have just let us know
he has now wanted on five counts of possession of
child pornography and five counts of using his computer to
solicit a minor.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
We're talking about a high school football coach, a man
who teaches physical education, who has been doing it for
quite some time. He is now a ten time wanted felon. Yes, right,
so he is innocent until proven guilty, but robes the story.
I didn't we didn't understand why police weren't initially telling
us why they said he is not wanted. He has
(01:41):
not wanted for arrest. We weren't going to his house
the other day to arrest, and we were just checking
out a complaint and they left it at that. They
had their reasons for not giving us more information. But
this is now, and I said it to you earlier.
They're concerned. It doesn't sound like about the safety of
the public. It sounds like they were trying to make
sure they capture him safely.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
Correct, So we know that at the same time that
police were looking to talk to him about a complaint.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
That's all we were told.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
The school where he works, Union High School also said that,
and without getting any specific the superintendent released a statement
saying a staff member has been placed on administrative lea
with pay while we review an allegation that was reported
to us. So people were connecting the dots that the
two were obviously all surrounding Travistown.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
That one was easy to.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
The school was not making it clear. They were not
confirming it.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
That makes it personnel matter, if that makes sense.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Yes, exactly.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
And the last known place that he was spotted was leaving.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
His home headed to the woods.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
Near his home. Look, this is a rural part of Virginia.
It's called the Tri State Area Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia. It's mountainous,
it's it's actually Applatcha, Virginia. So the Appalachian Mountains are
all around, and so there's a lot of wilderness and
a lot of places to hide. But they have been
searching for him for five days now.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
From how far it's north of Bristol, I'm trying to
get people some guns.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
Slightly north of Bristol.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
I think it's about thirty five miles from Bristol, Tennessee.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
That gives you an idea, And look, people have a
general idea of this region. It's hard to find them
out if they don't want to get found. Correct in
that area, we go back robes and so much of
what the headline say or undefeated high school football coach miss. Correct,
that was the thing. And so let's tell you, yes, folks,
what he went missing? Right before or right after the
(03:38):
last game?
Speaker 3 (03:39):
They right before it was two days before they were
going to the semi finals, which they ended up winning
on Saturday. But the last time anyone saw him was
on November twentieth. This is a town of two thousand people.
Everyone knows this guy. First of all, he's a big guy.
He's six foot three, two hundred and sixty pounds, and
he's the winning high school football She's been teaching at
(04:01):
this high school for fourteen years. But he and his
wife are from this area. They went to Appalachia High School.
His father was a football coach. So this is a
family that is well known in this area. This isn't
a place where he could hide in plain sight because
everyone knows who he is.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
Everybody knows. I mean, you get an idea. Maybe some
folks in Northeast don't know it as much, but high
school football as everything, and a lot of these small
towns this guy with a twelve min zero under They
are the pride of that town. Correct, everybody knows him.
You can't imagine what this is doing to that town
right now. These are just allegations. But a guy who
(04:36):
has been trusted with so many children for so long
to think that this has come up now the charger's
possession of child pornography, and the other.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
One was solicitation of a minor. Oh yeah, using a computer,
using a computer. And here's the deal. They did make
this very clear. It is not known right now if
these alleged crimes he's accused of involved a student at
the high school or an athlete at the high school.
And it's also not known whether or not there is
more than one victim in this case. But he was
(05:08):
charged with five counts of using a computer to solicit
a minor. So I don't know what that means if
it's five different times he was trying to solicit or
is it five different miners.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
We don't know.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
And there hasn't been I haven't seen you let me know,
I haven't seen anything that suggested actual assault, molestation, or
charge like that on there's.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
Nothing to that.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
It's just about soliciting and about child porn and those
I mean, that's horrific. Obviously if you are now you
are as you point out entrusted with children, and he's
been at this school for fourteen years.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
So we don't have an indication I don't think right
robes of the timeline for any of these potential or
possible or alleged crimes. Was this this school year? Has
this been going on for years and it was just discovered?
Is this going to blow up into something bigger? Now?
Again we have to have to have to keep saying,
my goodness, he is innocent until proven guilty, yes, but
(06:06):
we also know at times what guilty and innocent behavior
looks like.
Speaker 3 (06:12):
Sometimes, and when you are at least made aware that
your school is now putting you on administrative leave, you
get word that maybe police want to talk to you,
and then instead of sitting down and explaining your side
of things, you take off and you leave your family.
This is a man who has three children and a
wife who loves him. And I say that because she
(06:33):
has been speaking out a little bit. You don't You
wouldn't expect somebody who didn't have something to fear to leave.
You would expect that person, especially a pillar of the
community like this man has been.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
Would say, let me explain.
Speaker 3 (06:50):
But you don't know how people act in stressful, pressurized situations,
and he has chosen to leave.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
And yes, his wife's name is les Turner.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
And when he first went missing on Thursday over the weekend,
she went on Facebook and said, I just want to
get on here for a second to clear up something.
As of right now, Travis is missing and that's all
we know. We love him and need him here with us.
Thank you to everyone who has reached out with love
and support. It means more than you know. Just keep
praying that he comes home. She deleted that Facebook post,
(07:24):
but has since said a few things. I'm sure can
you imagine her phone reporters, they were already paying attention
to this case. After five days have gone by, it
started to really get now national attention, and so she
was She did say, none of this is true. He's
a good dad and a good husband and we want
(07:47):
him home.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
That's it.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
So that's that's the best she put that one.
Speaker 3 (07:51):
Leslie has said this now to reporters who's been calling.
It's been reported that she said I can't see anymore.
She was asked about reports. There were reports, and you
know there are always people circulating things that he left
the home headed into the woods with a rifle. She said,
I have been told not to comment. So that's what
we've gotten from his wife so far, and basically her messages.
(08:13):
We love him, we want him home, we want him safe.
We believe he did not do this.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
Okay, there's you cannot Okay, maybe you can't imagine. It's
a small town and what that woman in that family
are going through again to think, I mean, they are pillars.
They are established, long time members of this community. And
if you know, talent, like small towns, everybody knows everybody.
(08:39):
Football is king. It is so college there. What's our pride?
These athletes of this high school football day every very Friday,
we know where we're going to be and cheering these
guys on, and they're good. They're giving us something the
cheer for.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
I'm defeated.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
They have made the playoffs and their two playoff games
have been without their coach.
Speaker 3 (08:57):
Yep, the assistant coach took over over the weekend and
they have a big game on Saturday. So I was
even thinking about obviously his family first and foremost any
potential victims out there, but his football players they are now.
I mean, it already would have been a pressurized situation
to play in this in these finals this weekend. But
now to have literally the nation watching, you can you
(09:21):
imagine the press that is descending upon this town.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
It's a it's a tough day for this lady.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
Should they play? Shouldn't say should, but that's difficult. I
would absolutely offer those kids the option. Hey, man, if
you all don't want to do this, that's fine. They
have worked and they have earned this. They're on the
field all year. It would be a shame for them
to give it up or to stop now. But this
is horrific that they're leader. You know they love They
are plenty guys on that team that love this man.
(09:48):
Of course I love him.
Speaker 3 (09:50):
And I went on to his wife's Facebook page and
every single picture, babe is of her and her husband
and their sons wearing ball gear and saying go team Go.
I mean, this was their life. This wasn't just what
he did for a living. This wasn't just his job
that he went to and came home. The whole family
was involved cheering on this team and being a part
(10:12):
of this community. So the devastation, just the allegations along
are devastating to this family and to this community.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
The story right ropes. I wonder what happens to the
story now because it was such a big deal, because
it was such a big mystery, right, Yeah, you throw
the football team into it and whatnot. But yeah, there's
a high school football coach, he was undefeated who's just
gone missing and nobody knows why. That's been the story
for the majority of the past five days until today
(10:41):
the story changed. Why today did they decide to put
it out. Why today did they let people know we
are this is a man hunt for a fugitive. Did
they not figure something out? Did it hurt their investigation?
I do not know, but I don't still now right,
I don't think they're chasing him down because they think
he is a danger to the community in some way.
(11:03):
There's concern for him right now.
Speaker 3 (11:05):
You can tell by the tone that the concern is
that he is a threat to himself. And look, he
was last seen heading into the woods in a gray
sweatshirt and sweatpants. This wasn't a man who was planning
to be gone for a long.
Speaker 2 (11:21):
Time or to be braving the elements. I check the weather.
There is a cold front coming through.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
First of all, it was raining like hell all day
to day it's getting into the twenties tonight, it is
going to be twenty one in the low and these
mountainous areas get even colder. That was just maybe in
the city. But if he's out in the woods, he
is not dressed for the elements. He is not prepared
for the elements.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
I was just.
Speaker 3 (11:43):
Imagining how scared you would be if that's the man
you love, if that's your husband, that's your father, and
to know he's out there and alone without any explanation.
It's a terrible, tragic situation.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
Hurting himself is one thing, but the elements are threat
to him. Yes, you can't survive. What's he been doing?
Speaker 2 (12:02):
What's eating exactly?
Speaker 1 (12:04):
And yes, cold that cold at night and all he
had you got a hoodie and some sweatpant.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
I mean that's not enough.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
It's not damn you. Uh, what's about to happen? To
the look the mystery and it was intriguing, But now
it's just your heart sinks and it's sad. It's sad
for those kids. It's sad for that community. It's sad
for that wife, it's sad for those three kids. It's
just again, it was so intriguing there was mystery and intrigued,
but now it's just heavy.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
It's heavy, sad.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
Yeah, it's true and well when we come back, we
looked into who Travis Turner is and what he meant
to this community. He has a long family history in Appalachia, Virginia.
(12:53):
Continuing our conversation on this developing story that we have
been following throughout the day to day, forty six year
old Turner, a physical education teacher, head football coach at
Union High School, had an undefeated team, was having one
of the best years of his professional and personal life.
A huge mystery began last week when police said they
(13:15):
were just looking to talk to him. They said they
had a complaint they wanted to ask him about. He
left his home and he hasn't been seen since. That
was Thursday, November twentieth, and now today, later this afternoon,
we heard from Virginia State Police, who had been keeping
it a mystery as to why they wanted to talk
to him, now saying that he is officially a fugitive
(13:37):
on the run, wanted for ten felony counts, five for
a possession of child porn and another five for soliciting
using a computer to solicit a minor.
Speaker 1 (13:48):
My god, those are felonies. Those are big ten felonies.
And look, we talk about forensic but computer forensics, yeah,
else there exactly, it's there. You can't hide that stuff,
you can't delete that stuff. They can find it. So
they obviously have some types of evidence. I wonder what
(14:11):
that complaint was, what sent them to the house in
the first place looking for him. Hopefully we'll get some
more answers to that, But I think the question is
just what at that school? Are there kids there that
need to be checked.
Speaker 3 (14:22):
On correct And I think that there are, and in
these types of cases, anyone who's lived through a situation
like this, and actually I certainly have every person who
he's been in contact with, every child he has worked with,
and he has been at the school for fourteen years,
there are going to be a lot of questions and
certainly further investigations.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
You just thought me, you should explain when people heard
that you should have been through a situation like that.
Speaker 3 (14:44):
I've been through a situation like that, and that my
child was I was a competitive gymnast growing up, and
so my gym teacher was hauled out in the middle
of our gym because there was one complaint about a
young woman who says that he was inappropriate with her.
Turns out all got pulled out our entire gym. Every
one of us had to be talked to. And yes,
(15:05):
it was a much bigger it was a much bigger
scandal than just one young woman. I was one of
the few girls who had not experienced him in that way,
because I never went to a private lesson and I
never went to a sleepover at his house. But certainly
I've just personally experienced what these investigations are like.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
And I'm sure this is far from over.
Speaker 1 (15:26):
And I was unfamiliar with that story, you know, But
I was listening to you, sir enough.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (15:32):
Yeah, I've been doing that before. I had the police
come over to my house when I was Yeah, I
just want to make sure you cleared.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
I appreciate you guiding me to explain that, but yes, so,
and just looking more into who.
Speaker 2 (15:45):
This man was.
Speaker 3 (15:46):
Turner was, and you might appreciate this even more than
I do in terms of perspective, but he was kind
of a big deal from a small town. He was
one of three quarterbacks at Virginia Tech, along with Grant
Noel and then my Michael Vick, so he was alongside them.
He then went to UVA Wise, then he went to
Eastern Kentucky, where he was the quarterback for the legendary
(16:10):
coach Roy Kidd.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
Is all of this familiar and sounding like a big
deal to you.
Speaker 1 (16:14):
Just the Michael Vick park, Okay, but two.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
Double A national titles at the school, so you know.
Speaker 3 (16:21):
Look, he was this hometown boy who went on to
be a college quarterback, and he started in several games
at KU. He said he almost outdueled the QB at
Eastern Illinois, a guy named Tony Romo. I know, you
know who that is, right, Yeah, yeah, this is But look,
(16:41):
so he's won an analyiar.
Speaker 1 (16:43):
I'm kidding. I don't know anything about his football prowess.
I'm just kidding. You know, Tony and Romosa.
Speaker 3 (16:47):
The point being, he was a big deal even when
he was leaving high school going into college. And his
own father, Tom Turner, was a defensive lineman at Virginia Tech.
Speaker 2 (16:57):
He was the head coach at Appalachia High School.
Speaker 3 (16:59):
He led the football program there to five state titles,
and his own son, Travis, was the starting quarterback. So
this is a guy who was deeply entrenched in this
community in Appalachia, Virginia, where people have known him and
known his family, known his father, cheered his father on,
cheered him on for decades now. So this is a
(17:20):
significant story for this community.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
Oh my god, we've seen so many. I don't think
there's any more classic. I don't know what is the
only way this could be different If his wife was
a cheerleader, right.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
And she may have been. I just didn't check that out.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
With that story. Yeah, high school sweethearts football star goes
off to college. They come back and they come to
the community, They raise their family. He's a part of
the same high school he was and went to school,
and he's the hero now and now taking the team
to this is a perfect small town beautiful story is
how it's supposed to go. They went back with their
(18:00):
own family, and this now is just I know that's
not the point, and there might be victims out there
and that should absolutely be the focus. Just Hearts go
out to that place. It's devastating for that school, it's
devastating for that community, and we really do right now.
The only thing that matters is is getting him look
or whatever he's accused of. Life is the most important
(18:22):
thing right now, that's true. Just need to get him
somewhere safe and okay, and hopefully he is.
Speaker 2 (18:27):
And that's what you hear from his wife.
Speaker 3 (18:28):
That is all she has been saying from the moment
he began he was missing. We just want to get
him home. We love him. We're praying for him, and
thanking all the people who have reached out and supported
his family, because certainly his wife and his children need
love and support as well while they're dealing with soul.
I mean imagine, like we all feel shocked, the community
(18:49):
feel shocked. I can't imagine anyone more shocked than his
own wife and children.
Speaker 1 (18:54):
But you remember, to your point, we forget sometimes when
someone's acute of something that there are victims on all sides,
and they're his wife right now, his kids are a victim.
Speaker 3 (19:07):
It's so true and it's important to remember. And we'll
keep our eye on this. Obviously, so much even happened
throughout the day today, but we will certainly keep our
eye on this developing story and bring you the very latest.
But thank you all for listening to us on this
Tuesday evening. I Mami Robach alongside T. J.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
Holmes. We will talk to you soon.
Hey folks. It is Tuesday, November the twenty fifth, and
a mysterious man hunt in.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Virginia, Yes, Appalachia, Virginia.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
It's been a mystery all day. Things just became a
little clearer. A football coach has been missing. Man hunt
going on, but they didn't tell us what they were
looking for him for. Well we now know, and it
is a worst case scenario for parents probably, And with that,
welcome to this episode of Amy and TJ. Broad This
was a very bizarre story we started following this morning.
(00:35):
We held off when actually doing an update just to
see how it was going to go. And man, these updates,
some of the mystery makes more sense now.
Speaker 3 (00:44):
Yes, it's all coming together now because it didn't make sense.
This was a Virginia high school coach, forty six year
old Travis Turner of Union High School. He was on
a massive winning streak, his team twelve and zero go
into the finals and he just dissai appeers.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
It was inexplicable.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
Well, now we know he is officially a fugitive because
he is now wanted. Police have just let us know
he has now wanted on five counts of possession of
child pornography and five counts of using his computer to
solicit a minor.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
We're talking about a high school football coach, a man
who teaches physical education, who has been doing it for
quite some time. He is now a ten time wanted felon. Yes, right,
so he is innocent until proven guilty, but robes the story.
I didn't we didn't understand why police weren't initially telling
us why they said he is not wanted. He has
(01:41):
not wanted for arrest. We weren't going to his house
the other day to arrest, and we were just checking
out a complaint and they left it at that. They
had their reasons for not giving us more information. But
this is now, and I said it to you earlier.
They're concerned. It doesn't sound like about the safety of
the public. It sounds like they were trying to make
sure they capture him safely.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
Correct, So we know that at the same time that
police were looking to talk to him about a complaint.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
That's all we were told.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
The school where he works, Union High School also said that,
and without getting any specific the superintendent released a statement
saying a staff member has been placed on administrative lea
with pay while we review an allegation that was reported
to us. So people were connecting the dots that the
two were obviously all surrounding Travistown.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
That one was easy to.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
The school was not making it clear. They were not
confirming it.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
That makes it personnel matter, if that makes sense.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Yes, exactly.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
And the last known place that he was spotted was leaving.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
His home headed to the woods.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
Near his home. Look, this is a rural part of Virginia.
It's called the Tri State Area Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia. It's mountainous,
it's it's actually Applatcha, Virginia. So the Appalachian Mountains are
all around, and so there's a lot of wilderness and
a lot of places to hide. But they have been
searching for him for five days now.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
From how far it's north of Bristol, I'm trying to
get people some guns.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
Slightly north of Bristol.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
I think it's about thirty five miles from Bristol, Tennessee.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
That gives you an idea, And look, people have a
general idea of this region. It's hard to find them
out if they don't want to get found. Correct in
that area, we go back robes and so much of
what the headline say or undefeated high school football coach miss. Correct,
that was the thing. And so let's tell you, yes, folks,
what he went missing? Right before or right after the
(03:38):
last game?
Speaker 3 (03:39):
They right before it was two days before they were
going to the semi finals, which they ended up winning
on Saturday. But the last time anyone saw him was
on November twentieth. This is a town of two thousand people.
Everyone knows this guy. First of all, he's a big guy.
He's six foot three, two hundred and sixty pounds, and
he's the winning high school football She's been teaching at
(04:01):
this high school for fourteen years. But he and his
wife are from this area. They went to Appalachia High School.
His father was a football coach. So this is a
family that is well known in this area. This isn't
a place where he could hide in plain sight because
everyone knows who he is.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
Everybody knows. I mean, you get an idea. Maybe some
folks in Northeast don't know it as much, but high
school football as everything, and a lot of these small
towns this guy with a twelve min zero under They
are the pride of that town. Correct, everybody knows him.
You can't imagine what this is doing to that town
right now. These are just allegations. But a guy who
(04:36):
has been trusted with so many children for so long
to think that this has come up now the charger's
possession of child pornography, and the other.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
One was solicitation of a minor. Oh yeah, using a computer,
using a computer. And here's the deal. They did make
this very clear. It is not known right now if
these alleged crimes he's accused of involved a student at
the high school or an athlete at the high school.
And it's also not known whether or not there is
more than one victim in this case. But he was
(05:08):
charged with five counts of using a computer to solicit
a minor. So I don't know what that means if
it's five different times he was trying to solicit or
is it five different miners.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
We don't know.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
And there hasn't been I haven't seen you let me know,
I haven't seen anything that suggested actual assault, molestation, or
charge like that on there's.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
Nothing to that.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
It's just about soliciting and about child porn and those
I mean, that's horrific. Obviously if you are now you
are as you point out entrusted with children, and he's
been at this school for fourteen years.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
So we don't have an indication I don't think right
robes of the timeline for any of these potential or
possible or alleged crimes. Was this this school year? Has
this been going on for years and it was just discovered?
Is this going to blow up into something bigger? Now?
Again we have to have to have to keep saying,
my goodness, he is innocent until proven guilty, yes, but
(06:06):
we also know at times what guilty and innocent behavior
looks like.
Speaker 3 (06:12):
Sometimes, and when you are at least made aware that
your school is now putting you on administrative leave, you
get word that maybe police want to talk to you,
and then instead of sitting down and explaining your side
of things, you take off and you leave your family.
This is a man who has three children and a
wife who loves him. And I say that because she
(06:33):
has been speaking out a little bit. You don't You
wouldn't expect somebody who didn't have something to fear to leave.
You would expect that person, especially a pillar of the
community like this man has been.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
Would say, let me explain.
Speaker 3 (06:50):
But you don't know how people act in stressful, pressurized situations,
and he has chosen to leave.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
And yes, his wife's name is les Turner.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
And when he first went missing on Thursday over the weekend,
she went on Facebook and said, I just want to
get on here for a second to clear up something.
As of right now, Travis is missing and that's all
we know. We love him and need him here with us.
Thank you to everyone who has reached out with love
and support. It means more than you know. Just keep
praying that he comes home. She deleted that Facebook post,
(07:24):
but has since said a few things. I'm sure can
you imagine her phone reporters, they were already paying attention
to this case. After five days have gone by, it
started to really get now national attention, and so she
was She did say, none of this is true. He's
a good dad and a good husband and we want
(07:47):
him home.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
That's it.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
So that's that's the best she put that one.
Speaker 3 (07:51):
Leslie has said this now to reporters who's been calling.
It's been reported that she said I can't see anymore.
She was asked about reports. There were reports, and you
know there are always people circulating things that he left
the home headed into the woods with a rifle. She said,
I have been told not to comment. So that's what
we've gotten from his wife so far, and basically her messages.
(08:13):
We love him, we want him home, we want him safe.
We believe he did not do this.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
Okay, there's you cannot Okay, maybe you can't imagine. It's
a small town and what that woman in that family
are going through again to think, I mean, they are pillars.
They are established, long time members of this community. And
if you know, talent, like small towns, everybody knows everybody.
(08:39):
Football is king. It is so college there. What's our pride?
These athletes of this high school football day every very Friday,
we know where we're going to be and cheering these
guys on, and they're good. They're giving us something the
cheer for.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
I'm defeated.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
They have made the playoffs and their two playoff games
have been without their coach.
Speaker 3 (08:57):
Yep, the assistant coach took over over the weekend and
they have a big game on Saturday. So I was
even thinking about obviously his family first and foremost any
potential victims out there, but his football players they are now.
I mean, it already would have been a pressurized situation
to play in this in these finals this weekend. But
now to have literally the nation watching, you can you
(09:21):
imagine the press that is descending upon this town.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
It's a it's a tough day for this lady.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
Should they play? Shouldn't say should, but that's difficult. I
would absolutely offer those kids the option. Hey, man, if
you all don't want to do this, that's fine. They
have worked and they have earned this. They're on the
field all year. It would be a shame for them
to give it up or to stop now. But this
is horrific that they're leader. You know they love They
are plenty guys on that team that love this man.
(09:48):
Of course I love him.
Speaker 3 (09:50):
And I went on to his wife's Facebook page and
every single picture, babe is of her and her husband
and their sons wearing ball gear and saying go team Go.
I mean, this was their life. This wasn't just what
he did for a living. This wasn't just his job
that he went to and came home. The whole family
was involved cheering on this team and being a part
(10:12):
of this community. So the devastation, just the allegations along
are devastating to this family and to this community.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
The story right ropes. I wonder what happens to the
story now because it was such a big deal, because
it was such a big mystery, right, Yeah, you throw
the football team into it and whatnot. But yeah, there's
a high school football coach, he was undefeated who's just
gone missing and nobody knows why. That's been the story
for the majority of the past five days until today
(10:41):
the story changed. Why today did they decide to put
it out. Why today did they let people know we
are this is a man hunt for a fugitive. Did
they not figure something out? Did it hurt their investigation?
I do not know, but I don't still now right,
I don't think they're chasing him down because they think
he is a danger to the community in some way.
(11:03):
There's concern for him right now.
Speaker 3 (11:05):
You can tell by the tone that the concern is
that he is a threat to himself. And look, he
was last seen heading into the woods in a gray
sweatshirt and sweatpants. This wasn't a man who was planning
to be gone for a long.
Speaker 2 (11:21):
Time or to be braving the elements. I check the weather.
There is a cold front coming through.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
First of all, it was raining like hell all day
to day it's getting into the twenties tonight, it is
going to be twenty one in the low and these
mountainous areas get even colder. That was just maybe in
the city. But if he's out in the woods, he
is not dressed for the elements. He is not prepared
for the elements.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
I was just.
Speaker 3 (11:43):
Imagining how scared you would be if that's the man
you love, if that's your husband, that's your father, and
to know he's out there and alone without any explanation.
It's a terrible, tragic situation.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
Hurting himself is one thing, but the elements are threat
to him. Yes, you can't survive. What's he been doing?
Speaker 2 (12:02):
What's eating exactly?
Speaker 1 (12:04):
And yes, cold that cold at night and all he
had you got a hoodie and some sweatpant.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
I mean that's not enough.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
It's not damn you. Uh, what's about to happen? To
the look the mystery and it was intriguing, But now
it's just your heart sinks and it's sad. It's sad
for those kids. It's sad for that community. It's sad
for that wife, it's sad for those three kids. It's
just again, it was so intriguing there was mystery and intrigued,
but now it's just heavy.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
It's heavy, sad.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
Yeah, it's true and well when we come back, we
looked into who Travis Turner is and what he meant
to this community. He has a long family history in Appalachia, Virginia.
(12:53):
Continuing our conversation on this developing story that we have
been following throughout the day to day, forty six year
old Turner, a physical education teacher, head football coach at
Union High School, had an undefeated team, was having one
of the best years of his professional and personal life.
A huge mystery began last week when police said they
(13:15):
were just looking to talk to him. They said they
had a complaint they wanted to ask him about. He
left his home and he hasn't been seen since. That
was Thursday, November twentieth, and now today, later this afternoon,
we heard from Virginia State Police, who had been keeping
it a mystery as to why they wanted to talk
to him, now saying that he is officially a fugitive
(13:37):
on the run, wanted for ten felony counts, five for
a possession of child porn and another five for soliciting
using a computer to solicit a minor.
Speaker 1 (13:48):
My god, those are felonies. Those are big ten felonies.
And look, we talk about forensic but computer forensics, yeah,
else there exactly, it's there. You can't hide that stuff,
you can't delete that stuff. They can find it. So
they obviously have some types of evidence. I wonder what
(14:11):
that complaint was, what sent them to the house in
the first place looking for him. Hopefully we'll get some
more answers to that, But I think the question is
just what at that school? Are there kids there that
need to be checked.
Speaker 3 (14:22):
On correct And I think that there are, and in
these types of cases, anyone who's lived through a situation
like this, and actually I certainly have every person who
he's been in contact with, every child he has worked with,
and he has been at the school for fourteen years,
there are going to be a lot of questions and
certainly further investigations.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
You just thought me, you should explain when people heard
that you should have been through a situation like that.
Speaker 3 (14:44):
I've been through a situation like that, and that my
child was I was a competitive gymnast growing up, and
so my gym teacher was hauled out in the middle
of our gym because there was one complaint about a
young woman who says that he was inappropriate with her.
Turns out all got pulled out our entire gym. Every
one of us had to be talked to. And yes,
(15:05):
it was a much bigger it was a much bigger
scandal than just one young woman. I was one of
the few girls who had not experienced him in that way,
because I never went to a private lesson and I
never went to a sleepover at his house. But certainly
I've just personally experienced what these investigations are like.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
And I'm sure this is far from over.
Speaker 1 (15:26):
And I was unfamiliar with that story, you know, But
I was listening to you, sir enough.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (15:32):
Yeah, I've been doing that before. I had the police
come over to my house when I was Yeah, I
just want to make sure you cleared.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
I appreciate you guiding me to explain that, but yes, so,
and just looking more into who.
Speaker 2 (15:45):
This man was.
Speaker 3 (15:46):
Turner was, and you might appreciate this even more than
I do in terms of perspective, but he was kind
of a big deal from a small town. He was
one of three quarterbacks at Virginia Tech, along with Grant
Noel and then my Michael Vick, so he was alongside them.
He then went to UVA Wise, then he went to
Eastern Kentucky, where he was the quarterback for the legendary
(16:10):
coach Roy Kidd.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
Is all of this familiar and sounding like a big
deal to you.
Speaker 1 (16:14):
Just the Michael Vick park, Okay, but two.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
Double A national titles at the school, so you know.
Speaker 3 (16:21):
Look, he was this hometown boy who went on to
be a college quarterback, and he started in several games
at KU. He said he almost outdueled the QB at
Eastern Illinois, a guy named Tony Romo. I know, you
know who that is, right, Yeah, yeah, this is But look,
(16:41):
so he's won an analyiar.
Speaker 1 (16:43):
I'm kidding. I don't know anything about his football prowess.
I'm just kidding. You know, Tony and Romosa.
Speaker 3 (16:47):
The point being, he was a big deal even when
he was leaving high school going into college. And his
own father, Tom Turner, was a defensive lineman at Virginia Tech.
Speaker 2 (16:57):
He was the head coach at Appalachia High School.
Speaker 3 (16:59):
He led the football program there to five state titles,
and his own son, Travis, was the starting quarterback. So
this is a guy who was deeply entrenched in this
community in Appalachia, Virginia, where people have known him and
known his family, known his father, cheered his father on,
cheered him on for decades now. So this is a
(17:20):
significant story for this community.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
Oh my god, we've seen so many. I don't think
there's any more classic. I don't know what is the
only way this could be different If his wife was
a cheerleader, right.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
And she may have been. I just didn't check that out.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
With that story. Yeah, high school sweethearts football star goes
off to college. They come back and they come to
the community, They raise their family. He's a part of
the same high school he was and went to school,
and he's the hero now and now taking the team
to this is a perfect small town beautiful story is
how it's supposed to go. They went back with their
(18:00):
own family, and this now is just I know that's
not the point, and there might be victims out there
and that should absolutely be the focus. Just Hearts go
out to that place. It's devastating for that school, it's
devastating for that community, and we really do right now.
The only thing that matters is is getting him look
or whatever he's accused of. Life is the most important
(18:22):
thing right now, that's true. Just need to get him
somewhere safe and okay, and hopefully he is.
Speaker 2 (18:27):
And that's what you hear from his wife.
Speaker 3 (18:28):
That is all she has been saying from the moment
he began he was missing. We just want to get
him home. We love him. We're praying for him, and
thanking all the people who have reached out and supported
his family, because certainly his wife and his children need
love and support as well while they're dealing with soul.
I mean imagine, like we all feel shocked, the community
(18:49):
feel shocked. I can't imagine anyone more shocked than his
own wife and children.
Speaker 1 (18:54):
But you remember, to your point, we forget sometimes when
someone's acute of something that there are victims on all sides,
and they're his wife right now, his kids are a victim.
Speaker 3 (19:07):
It's so true and it's important to remember. And we'll
keep our eye on this. Obviously, so much even happened
throughout the day today, but we will certainly keep our
eye on this developing story and bring you the very latest.
But thank you all for listening to us on this
Tuesday evening. I Mami Robach alongside T. J.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
Holmes. We will talk to you soon.
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