Alaska State Troopers have called off the search for 71-year-old Jerry Warner, who went missing earlier this month after wandering down Willow Creek for a short solo fishing trip. Troopers have added Warner to the state's Missing Persons Clearinghouse, a collection of bulletins documenting people who have gone missing in the Last Frontier, in hopes future clues might be forthcoming.
In bold, red capital letters are the words "MISSING ADULT." Below it is an image of Warner, dressed in a blue and red flannel shirt tucked inside chest waders. He appears to be holding a small pink salmon in his left hand. His flier is mixed in with 91 other missing persons posters in the clearinghouse.
Alaska State Troopers ended their search for Warner at 5 p.m. Saturday, according to a dispatch posted Monday morning. Employees of Willow Creek Resort near Mile 70 of the Parks Highway -- where Warner and his girlfriend had been staying in an RV which is still parked at the campground -- said the family of the missing man was still searching, but they couldn't be reached for comment.
No clues were found during the weeklong search efforts, according to troopers. In the dispatch, troopers said that if any clues are found they will reassess the situation and the "appropriate resources will be deployed."
Warner, from Richland, Mo., went missing Aug. 3. He was last seen walking up Willow Creek wearing green chest waders, a camouflage hat, a gray raincoat and glasses. Troopers don't believe he was carrying any type of survival gear or a cellphone.
Mat-Su officials told Alaska Dispatch News Aug. 4 that the creek was running several feet below flood stage at the time of Warner's disappearance.