News Flash

**UPDATE**
(Roanoke County, VA - Wednesday, December 5, 2018)
On Wednesday afternoon Roanoke County Police, in conjunction with Roanoke County Fire & Rescue and the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, concluded the search for Paul Youmans who has been missing since Monday.

Youmans was located by a search team shortly after 1:00 p.m. in the area that had been previously noted as an area of interest off the hiking trail leading to Dragon’s Tooth. Youmans was found deceased from what appears to be a self-inflicted wound.

Personnel will continue working in the area throughout the evening. Roanoke County Police continue to investigate and would like to thank the public for their willingness to assist and for remaining outside the area while the technical rescue teams conducted the search.

(Roanoke County, VA—December 4, 2018) On Monday, December 3, at approximately 5:30 p.m. Roanoke County Police were called to a well-being check in the 3600 block of Georgetown Road. Upon arrival police were notified by a friend that Paul W Youmans, 34, of Roanoke County was missing and had not been seen since early in the morning. Youmans is described as 5'9, approximately 140 lbs, with brown hair and blue eyes. There is no clothing description at this time.

Through their investigation officers were able to locate his vehicle in the parking lot near the hiking trails leading to Dragon’s Tooth in Catawba. A search was conducted by Roanoke County Police and Fire & Rescue, along with the assistance of several local blood hound tracking groups. The search was suspended around midnight due to darkness and the steep, rocky terrain of the trail system that was being searched.

On Tuesday, December 4 Roanoke County Police with the assistance of Roanoke County Fire & Rescue and the Virginia Department of Emergency Management resumed the search. As of this time Mr. Youmans has not been located. Police will resume the search again Wednesday.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Roanoke County Emergency Communications Center at (540) 562-3265.