Posted 1:49 pm Tuesday, December 22, 2009
UPDATE: Man Missing Since Friday Found Dead
UPDATE: Willie Everhart was found dead today about a half-mile from his house, tangled in some brush, according to Smith County Sheriff's Dept. Lt. Tony Dana.
By KENNETH DEAN
Staff Writer
A Smith County family is asking why the Smith County Sheriff's Office did not respond immediately to find their missing 80-year-old relative who has not been seen since Friday.
By KENNETH DEAN
Staff Writer
A Smith County family is asking why the Smith County Sheriff's Office did not respond immediately to find their missing 80-year-old relative who has not been seen since Friday.
Mary Raibon questioned the department's protocol as deputies searched the area around County Road 272 for her father, Willie Everhart.
"I thought when an elderly person with dementia was missing, that was something they began working on right then, but they told me we had to wait 48 hours," she said.
Lt. Larry Wiginton, with the sheriff's office, said his agency was not contacted about Everhart's disappearance until six hours after he had last been seen.
"I'm not saying that is why we didn't go out there, but we have had multiple calls out there for domestic problems, and it may be that we were not given all the information we needed to make the decision," he said.
Wiginton said teams searched all Monday and the cadets from Alert Academy in Big Sandy were joining the search today with a helicopter.
"We are going to use every resource we can to find him, and we at this time do not know if he may have been picked up by someone," he said.
Ms. Raibon said her father was not dressed for the cold and was easily confused.
"It's not like him to just walk off. We had to have him home by dark when we had him out, and his wife says she saw him last about 8 p.m. on Friday," she said.
She said she was upset that the media her family contacted during the weekend did not put the information out sooner.
"We called a radio station and a television station and were told they had to have some confirmation about my father missing," she said. "The truth is if someone didn't pick him up then my father is probably dead."
Wiginton said he was going to look at all of the information on the original call, and said there may be a new protocol that has deputies calling for a supervisor in similar situations, so a decision could be made on starting a search.
"I do know deputies checked the area that night, but you really can't see much in the dark. But as far as why I just learned about Mr. Everhart this morning, I cannot say," he said.
Everhart last was seen wearing a hunter green jacket, blue baseball cap, khaki pants and brown house shoes. His wallet and identification was left at home. Anyone with information about Everhart's whereabouts is asked to call the Smith County Sheriff's Office at 903-566-6600.
Updated Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2009 at 1:49 p.m. CST
Updated Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2009 at 1:49 p.m. CST
